Carl W Johnson Foundation
The Carl W Johnson Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1993 and based in Los Angeles, California. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with a focus on supporting charitable causes across multiple sectors.
Key facts about Carl W Johnson Foundation
- EIN
- 95-4438839
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $520,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- Average grant
- $32,500
- Median grant
- $27,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 16, 2024)
- Total assets
- $3,646,280
- Primary geography
- California (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Carl W Johnson Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Carl W Johnson Foundation's 16 itemized 2024 grants were California (97%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (7 grants) and Long Beach, CA (2 grants). 94% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Carl W Johnson Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 16 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 53% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 197% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Carl W Johnson Foundation
- How to evaluate Carl W Johnson Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.6M
+10.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$520K
+28.4% YoY
Grant Count
16
-5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
+36.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carl W Johnson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $264K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for:
- Education
- Health care
- Aid to individuals with developmental needs
Grantmaking
Grant Range
Approximately $100 to $100,000
Average Grant
Approximately $100 to $100,000
Ready to take the next step with Carl W Johnson Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports various cities primarily in California, including:
- Los Angeles
- Santa Monica
- Berkeley
The foundation also funds organizations in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 16 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total assets: $3,646,280
- Total revenues: $1,005,934
- Total expenses: $684,734
- Investment income and dividends: $202,997
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $802,958
Historical Assets:
- 2024: $3,646,280 (2.6% increase from previous year)
- 2023: Approximately $3.3 million
Staffing: The foundation operates with zero employees. The board serves without compensation.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,646,280 | $3,296,077 | $3,946,599 |
| Revenue | $1,005,934 | $-97,290 | $512,693 |
| Expenses | $684,734 | $562,519 | $506,879 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $520,000 | $405,000 | $365,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $950,035 | $126,601 | $456,832 |
| Distributable Amount | $264,197 | $255,381 | $276,203 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include New Directions ($100,000), California State University Long Beach ($50,000), Canine Companions for Independence ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NEW DIRECTIONS Santa Barbara, CA | GENERAL | $100,000 |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH Long Beach, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE Santa Rosa, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CHRYSALIS Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK E St Street, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| THE PAINTED TURTLE Santa Monica, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES FOUNDATION Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| CITY OF HOPE Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| HOLLENBECK PALMS Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallace D Franson | Director | — | — |
| David D Watts | Secretary and Director | — | — |
| Tim Bodner | Treasurer | — | — |
| Kathleen Nelson | Director | — | — |
| Christopher D Montan | Director | — | — |
| Gene Torncello | Director | — | — |
| Susan J Ollweiler | President | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Carl W Johnson Foundation fund?
The foundation gives primarily for: • Education • Health care • Aid to individuals with developmental needs
How do I apply for a grant from Carl W Johnson Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total grants awarded: $405,000 • Number of grants: 17 (with 15 grants documented in recent filings) • Average grant size: Approximately $100 to $100,000 **Recent Grant Recipients (2024):** • New Directions for People with Disabilities: $100,000 • Canine Companions for Independence (CCI): $50,000 • Chrysalis Center: $50,000 • California State University Long Beach: (amount not specified) **Applicant Status:** Open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new appl…
Where does Carl W Johnson Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports various cities primarily in California, including: • Los Angeles • Santa Monica • Berkeley The foundation also funds organizations in New York.
What size grants does Carl W Johnson Foundation award?
In 2024, Carl W Johnson Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $520K — an average of about $33K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Carl W Johnson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Carl W Johnson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $264K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Carl W Johnson Foundation's EIN?
Carl W Johnson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4438839. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.