David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation
The David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It supports qualified 501(c)(3) organizations working in areas including sight preservation and improvement, children’s services, drunk-driving prevention and education, historic preservation, elder advocacy, and environmental conservation, primarily in Utah.
Key facts about David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation
In short: David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation gave $1.7M across 69 grants in 2024 (avg $25K), mostly in Utah. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 47-1051277
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,700,270
- Grants made (2024)
- 69
- Average grant
- $24,642
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (14 of 69, 2024)
- Total assets
- $40,653,583
- Primary geography
- Utah (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The website describes submitting a letter of inquiry for review before a formal application, but the foundation’s filing states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The posted letter-of-inquiry deadline for the Fall 2026 cycle was August 2, 2026, and the formal application deadline…
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$40.7M
+2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
-0.5% YoY
Grant Count
69
+1.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$25K
-1.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 69 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $17K repeat.
- 52% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it strives to make a significant difference in sight preservation and improvement, children’s services, drunk-driving prevention and education, historic preservation, elder advocacy and care, and environmental conservation. It primarily funds organizations conducting activities in Utah, while allowing support for qualifying organizations serving other regions.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of supported work. Summit Land Conservancy describes its mission as conserving Utah land and water for people and nature; Friends for Sight says it provides free vision screenings and works to improve access to eye care; and TreeUtah says it plants and cares for trees and raises awareness of their importance. Other recipients included Maliheh Free Clinic, which says it provides free medical services to uninsured and low-income individuals and families, and World Central Kitchen, which says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 69 grants totaling $1,700,270. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $200,000, with a median grant of $15,000. The foundation’s website describes its grants as ranging from $5,000 to $100,000; the 2024 filing lists a $200,000 award to Madeleine Choir School for a new gym and equipment.
Review Cycle
The posted letter-of-inquiry deadline for the Fall 2026 cycle was August 2, 2026, and the formal application deadline was August 30, 2026; both dates have passed.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it primarily funds organizations conducting activities in Utah, while it may also support qualifying organizations serving outside the state. In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to Utah recipients, 5% to recipients in Washington, DC, 3% to Virginia, 2% to Arizona, and 2% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2021) to $1.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 69 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Madeleine Choir School ($200K). Together the top 10 received $812K.
Grant Size Distribution
343 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 284 grants of 343 (83%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Madeleine Choir School Salt Lake City, UT | New gym and equipment. | $200,000 |
| Moran Eye Center Salt Lake City, UT | Outreach program. | $117,000 |
| Utah Food Bank Salt Lake City, UT | Essential food distribution for families in need. | $100,000 |
| Summit Land Conservancy Park City, UT | Preserving agricultural property along the Weber River in Sargent Ranch and Richins Ranch. | $75,000 |
| Shriners Hospital For Children Salt Lake City, UT | To provide unique, patient-centered care to children. | $65,000 |
| Christmas Box International Salt Lake City, UT | To prevent child abuse and defend children through a culture of universal diversity, inclusion, and love. | $55,000 |
| Catholic Community Svcs of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | Catholic Community Services Bridge the Gap Program. | $50,000 |
| Maliheh Free Clinic Salt Lake City, UT | Clinic's annual Healthy Family Support Program. | $50,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Moab wetlands preserve restoration. | $50,000 |
| The Rural Utah Project Salt Lake City, UT | Voting support for residents of rural Navajo Nation. | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,700,270 | 69 |
| 2023 | $1,708,372 | 68 |
| 2022 | $1,684,175 | 82 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,653,583 | $39,754,514 | $38,979,839 |
| Revenue | $3,494,464 | $2,334,942 | $2,414,460 |
| Expenses | $3,094,018 | $3,019,585 | $2,901,931 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,210,226 | $2,135,273 | $2,067,287 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,669,319 | $1,508,856 | $1,641,621 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,141,413 | $2,075,526 | $2,109,728 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Laurel Dokos as executive director, Peter M. Corroon as an advisory committee member, and Monsignor Joseph M. Mayo as an advisory committee member.
David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation is led by Laurel Dokos, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Laurel Dokos
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$200K (2020) → $222K (2024)
Monsignor Joseph M Mayo
Adv. Committee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Peter M Corroon
Adv. Committee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $222K, to Laurel Dokos (Exec. Dir.). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2437, Salt Lake City, UT 84110
Phone: (801) 359-0751
Website: https://www.dkjmemorial.org
Frequently asked questions about David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation
How much does David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation give each year?
David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation gave $1.7M across 69 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 68 grants.
What is David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $24,642, across 69 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation give grants?
David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation gives mostly in Utah: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (33 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), Sandy, UT (3 grants) and Ogden, UT (3 grants).
Does David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 69 grants with a stated purpose on David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Madeleine Choir School ($200,000), Moran Eye Center ($117,000) and Utah Food Bank ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation?
David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation reported $40.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation fund?
The foundation says it strives to make a significant difference in sight preservation and improvement, children’s services, drunk-driving prevention and education, historic preservation, elder advocacy and care, and environmental conservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation?
The website describes submitting a letter of inquiry for review before a formal application, but the foundation’s filing states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation's EIN?
David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1051277. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching David Kelby Johnson Memorial Foundation by hand.
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