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.
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
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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
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 |
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 include New Directions ($100,000), California State University Long Beach ($50,000), Canine Companions for Independence ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH LONG BEACH, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE SANTA ROSA, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| CHRYSALIS LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| CITY OF HOPE LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| GREATER LOS ANGELES ZOO ASSOCIATION LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL | $15,000 |
| HEARING HEALTH FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERALGENERALGENERAL | $15,000 |
| HOLLENBECK PALMS LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| LOS ANGELES HABILITATION HOUSE LONG BEACH, CA | GENERAL | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Carl W Johnson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.