The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation is a grantmaking organization with over $2 billion in assets as of year-end 2022 ¹ that funds left-of-center causes including LGBT interests and educational curriculum development. The organization also supports pro-Israel and other Jewish interests. ²

Lynn Schusterman, the foundation’s director, co-chair, and principal contributor, is the widow of Charles Schusterman, founder of the Samson Investment Company, a privately held oil and gas concern. ³

In October 2020, the Schusterman Foundation published a statement in response to President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, criticizing the nomination as “partisan.” The statement speculates that Barrett will infringe on civil rights, particularly pertaining to “marginalized communities,” and it questions the validity of her statements expressing her professional integrity due to her being an “originalist.” ⁴

Background

The Schusterman Foundation is named after Charles Schusterman, who founded the oil and gas company Samson that subsequently was sold by his widow Lynn for over $6 billion to KKR. The proceeds from the sale were in part invested into the foundation. ⁵

As of January 2020, the Schusterman Foundation has distributed over $1.2 billion in grants since its founding in 1987. It also controls the Schusterman Foundation-Israel as its Israel-based philanthropic arm. ⁶

Funding

The Schusterman Foundation consistently and significantly funds left-of-center organizations. The group made a $65,000 grant to the Management Center, a left-of-center education policy organization. ⁷

Additionally, Schusterman Foundation funds the left-leaning New Venture Fund which has been labeled by critics as a “dark money” organization. ⁸ Planned Parenthood of the Heartland also received Schusterman Foundation funding to provide abortion and other services in Iowa and Nebraska. ⁹

Schusterman Foundation is a major donor to many Jewish organizations including the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) that supports “reproductive rights” (often a euphemism for pro-abortion policies) and LGBT interests. ¹⁰

Abortion Advocacy

Following the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, the Schusterman Foundation began funding campaigns advocating for protection access to legal abortions in response. It presents abortion advocacy as a women’s issue and uses the identity politics concept of “intersectionality” to couple its abortion advocacy with addressing race, gender, and socioeconomic issues. It also presents women’s issues as issues pertaining to anyone who identifies as a woman. ^{11 12}

In October 2022, the Schusterman Foundation’s senior director Brook Kelly-Green published an op-ed in Inside Philanthropy arguing that in addition to policy advocacy, nonprofit funders should fund support for pro-abortion, state-level members of the judiciary in anticipation of challenges to abortion policies. She also advocated funding support for state-level judicial campaigns as they will make decisions on criminal justice, immigration, and transgender issues. The op-ed was critical about the representation of conservative white men amongst state court judges. ¹¹

Under its abortion advocacy, the Schusterman Foundation makes grants to organizations that advocate for expanding sexual education curriculum to include topics on contraceptives and abortion, relationships, and queer theory-influenced views on gender. It also funds campaigns that encourage the use of contraceptives. ¹³

The Schusterman Foundation also makes grants to fund abortion services and legal representation of abortion providers and seekers. Additionally, it funds groups that advocate for increased funding of childbirth medical workers and “birthing options,” including an increase in public subsidies and public programs that fund paid leave and childbirth. ¹³

In 2024, the Schusterman Foundation contributed $5.35 million to Floridians Protecting Freedom to fund their campaign in support of Florida’s Amendment 4 ballot initiative. ¹⁴ The amendment would have prohibited restrictions on abortion up until “viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” but failed to secure the supermajority needed to pass. ¹⁵

Educational Funding

The Schusterman Foundation contributed $25,000 to CommonLit¹⁶ which is major provider of literature educational content. ¹⁷ Its featured content¹⁸ includes articles about immigration challenges, powerful liberal women, rapper Tupac Shakur, and racial and conservational themes written by authors from the left-leaning media outlets New York Times and National Public Radio (NPR). Content is supplied in part by left-leaning content creator The Conversation. ¹⁹

Another recipient is the Education Writers Association (EWA)¹⁶ which supports educational journalists and focuses on left leaning topics including racial disparities in education, gun violence in schools, and the criminalization of students of color. ²⁰

Yet another educational grantee is the left leaning Education Leaders of Color (ELC) which seeks to drive hiring more African-American and Latino teachers and school administrators. ¹⁶ The organization also advocates for political agendas to reduce ethnic educational disparities. ²¹ It cites research that claims that Hispanic teachers offer a higher quality education for Hispanic students. ²² ELC further asserts that students of color are more frequently suspended or disciplined than whites and that Trump funding policies will aggravate the situation. ²³

Educators for Excellence also receives funding from the Schusterman Foundation and is currently driving national campaigns that include “Protect our Dreamers,” focusing on supporting illegal immigrants. ²⁴

Gender Issues

To address women’s issues, the Schusterman Foundation funds left-of-center advocacy initiatives aimed at increasing the economic status of women and those who identify as women. It makes grants to policy advocacy initiatives that support paid parental leave, sick leave, subsidized child care, income-equity requirements, and welfare programs. ²⁵

Election Funding

The Schusterman Foundation lists the left-of-center Fair Fight Action, All Voting is Local, and United to Protect Democracy as grantees under its voting rights initiative that exemplify its election policy initiatives. ²⁶

Biden Community Violence Intervention

In June 2021, the Biden administration announced a program to combat rising gun violence and violent crime using a collaborative composed of government and nonprofit organizations funding community violence intervention (CVI) measures. Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies was reported to be a funder of the collaborative, along with California Endowment, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Kellogg Foundation. Other foundations funding the initiative include the Kresge Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, Arnold Ventures, the Emerson Collective, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations. CVI strategies “act as an alternative to heavy-handed policing” by focusing its efforts on the minority of citizens who are perpetrators or targets of violent crime. CVI treats violence as a communicable disease rather than a violent crime and attempts to stop the “spread” of violence. ²⁷

Pro-Israel Support

The Schusterman Foundation donates many millions annually to support pro-Israel interests. The foundation has provided support to the American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise (AICE),²⁸ the American Israel Education Fund, American Friends of the Israel Democracy Institute, Birthright Israel, and the Israel on Campus Coalition. The Schusterman Foundation also has an Israel-based subsidiary, Schusterman Foundation Israel, which funds liberal social advocacy projects in the country. ²⁹

1. Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2022, Part II Line 16 https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2024/02/Schusterman-2022-990-with-grants.pdf
2. Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2022, Part XIV Line 3 https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2024/02/Schusterman-2022-990-with-grants.pdf
3. “Our Story.” Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Accessed January 24, 2025. https://www.schusterman.org/who-we-are/our-story.
4. “Statement on Nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.” Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.schusterman.org/statement/statement-on-nomination-of-judge-amy-coney-barrett-to-the-supreme-court.
5. Ovide, Shira. “What Would Your Family Do With $7 Billion?” The Wall Street Journal. November 23, 2011. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2011/11/23/what-would-your-family-do-with-7-billion/.
6. Wang, Jennifer. “From Buffett to Bloomberg: The 25 Philanthropists in America Making the Biggest Donations.” Forbes, January 21, 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferwang/2020/01/20/from-buffett-to-bloomberg-the-25-philanthropists-in-america-making-the-biggest-donations/?sh=20e0f04c4e8f.
7. “IRS Form 990.” Digital image. Schusterman Foundation Form 990. Accessed June 7, 2019. http://www.foundationsearch.com/990/LATEST/7/CHARLES AND LYNN SCHUSTERMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION 2016 731312965.PDF.
8. “Over 100 Left-Wing Groups Sourced to DC Dark Money Outfit.” Washington Free Beacon. October 22, 2015. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/issues/over-100-left-wing-groups-sourced-to-d-c-dark-money-outfit/.
9. Parenthood, Planned. “Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.” Planned Parenthood. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-heartland.
10. “American Jewish World Service.” AJWS. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://ajws.org/.
11. Kelly-Green, Brook, and Cristina Uribe. “The Abortion Fight Is in the States. Funders, Meet Us in the Capitals.” Inside Philanthropy, October 19, 2022. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2022-10-19-the-abortion-fight-is-in-the-states-funders-meet-us-in-the-capitals.
12. “Gender and Reproductive Equity.” Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.schusterman.org/gender-and-reproductive-equity.
13. “Reproductive Freedom and Power.” Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.schusterman.org/gender-and-reproductive-equity/reproductive-freedom.
14. “Right-to-Abortion Ballot Measure Campaigns Reported 10 Times More in Contributions than Opposition Campaigns in 2024 so Far.” Ballotpedia News. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://news.ballotpedia.org/2024/09/27/right-to-abortion-ballot-measure-campaigns-reported-10-times-more-in-contributions-than-opposition-campaigns-in-2024-so-far/
15. “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion 23-07.” Florida Division of Elections. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/initdetail.asp?account=83927&seqnum=1.
16. Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV Line 3a http://www.foundationsearch.com/990/LATEST/7/CHARLES%20AND%20LYNN%20SCHUSTERMAN%20FAMILY%20FOUNDATION%202016%20731312965.PDF
17. “About.” CommonLit. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://www.commonlit.org/en/about.
18. “Library.” CommonLit. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://beautifulmind.commonlit.org/en/library.
19. “Our Team and Boards.” Our Team: The Conversation. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://theconversation.com/us/team.
20. “Education News.” Education Writers Association. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://www.ewa.org/education-news.
21. EdLoC – Education Leaders of Color. “Commentary: An Open Letter to LAUSD’s School Board Candidates before Tuesday’s Vote – and a Plea to Address Board District 5’s Educational Disparities.” Education Leaders of Color. Accessed June 07, 2019. http://edloc.org/blog-lausd-election-district-5-may-2019.html.
22. Digital image. Examining Latino Representation on California’s School Boards. Accessed June 7, 2019. https://cci.sfsu.edu/sites/default/files/Examining Latino Representation on CA School Boards.pdf.
23. EdLoC – Education Leaders of Color. “EdLoC Condemns Trump Administration Proposal to Rescind Guidance Designed to Address School Discipline Disparities.” Education Leaders of Color. Accessed June 07, 2019. http://edloc.org/blog-leaders_of_color_condemn_trump_admin_proposal_to_rescind_civil_rights_guidance_for_schools.html.
24. “National Campaigns.” Educators for Excellence. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://e4e.org/take-action/national-campaigns.
25. “Economic Power.” Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.schusterman.org/gender-and-reproductive-equity/economic-power.
26. “Democracy and Voting Rights.” Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Accessed January 6, 2025. https://www.schusterman.org/democracy-and-voting-rights.
27. Rojc, Philip. “Backing Up Biden: Grantmakers Get Behind a New Federal Anti-Violence Collaborative.” Inside Philanthropy. Inside Philanthropy, July 6, 2021. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2021/7/1/backing-up-biden-grantmakers-get-behind-a-new-federal-anti-violence-collaborative?utm_source=Funding%2BNews%2B%26%2BTips&utm_campaign=f22df871f4-newsletterdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c776dbf0df-f22df871f4-95098585.
28. Silverstein, Richard. “Is Schusterman Foundation Funding Zionist Propaganda On Campus?” Tikun Olam תיקון עולם. December 03, 2007. Accessed June 07, 2019. https://www.richardsilverstein.com/2007/11/30/is-schusterman-foundation-funding-zionist-propaganda-on-campus/.
29. Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2015, Part XV Line 3a