Johnson Charitable Gift Fund
The Johnson Charitable Gift Fund is a public charity based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Established in 2004 according to Johnson Investment Counsel, it facilitates charitable giving through donor-advised accounts and endowment funds, helping clients direct charitable contributions.
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund at a glance
In short: Johnson Charitable Gift Fund gave $46.3M across 742 grants in 2025 (avg $62K), mostly in Ohio. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $46,315,603
- +24.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 742
- +21.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $62,420
- +2.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $383,442,147
- +17.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (266 of 735, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (54% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Johnson Charitable Gift Fund
- Contact
Mailing address: 3777 West Fork Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45247
Phone: (513) 661-3100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Johnson Charitable Gift Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Commonwealth Causes ($3.9M). Together the top 10 received $18.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
2,995 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,489 grants of 2,995 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund’s 2025 grant dollars were concentrated in Ohio (54%) and Kentucky (12%), followed by Illinois (9%), Washington, DC (4%), and Indiana (3%). Its listed 2025 grants also included recipients in Michigan and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 742 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Johnson Charitable Gift Fund open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 266 of 735 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $55K; repeat grants $68K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $16K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $22.0M (2019) to $46.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 742 grants totaling $46.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Causes Lexington, KY | General Fund | $3,900,000 |
| Seton High School Cincinnati, OH | Various Programs/Gen | $3,293,045 |
| University of Cincinnati Foundation Cincinnati, OH | Various Programs/Gen | $1,668,654 |
| Wonderhunt West Dundee, IL | Operations | $1,650,000 |
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medi Cincinnati, OH | Various Programs/Gen | $1,607,203 |
| Conservation Foundation Naperville, IL | General Fund | $1,500,000 |
| St Ursula Villa Cincinnati, OH | Various Programs/Gen | $1,469,500 |
| Springer School and Center Cincinnati, OH | Various Programs/Gen | $1,283,634 |
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | Various Programs/Gen | $1,095,400 |
| Northwest Furniture Bank Tacoma, WA | General Fund | $1,050,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $383,442,147 | $94,460,432 | $49,969,469 | $46,315,603 | 742 | $24,049,620 |
| 2024 | $327,284,242 | $58,902,245 | $41,123,552 | $37,352,412 | 611 | $9,766,007 |
| 2023 | $277,687,310 | $53,638,342 | $30,873,511 | $27,637,099 | 572 | $15,226,050 |
| 2022 | $240,192,248 | $106,272,377 | $33,536,074 | $30,156,539 | 571 | $44,805,242 |
| 2021 | $244,016,600 | $56,711,793 | $33,034,969 | $30,044,378 | 499 | $7,281,537 |
| 2019 | $140,158,803 | $47,839,658 | $24,210,930 | $22,036,976 | 355 | $1,110,694 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s stated mission is to promote and support philanthropy by simplifying charitable giving and educating donors on the benefits and rewards of charitable giving. Its 2025 grants included support for educational institutions, a children’s hospital, conservation, community causes, a nonprofit that shares stories for free, furniture assistance, and healthcare research.
Grantee descriptions illustrate this range. Commonwealth Causes says it works to inspire donations to local charities and help people in need in Kentucky. The University of Cincinnati Foundation says its mission is to inspire UC and UC Health supporters through philanthropy. The Conservation Foundation says it preserves and restores natural areas, protects rivers and watersheds, and promotes environmental stewardship. Springer School and Center says it empowers students with learning disabilities to lead successful lives.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the fund reported 742 grants totaling $46,315,603. Grant amounts ranged from $5,030 to $3,900,000, with a median of $15,000.
Among the largest grants were $3,900,000 to Commonwealth Causes; $3,293,045 to Seton High School; $1,668,654 to the University of Cincinnati Foundation; $1,650,000 to Wonderhunt; and $1,607,203 to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Other major awards included $1,500,000 to the Conservation Foundation, $1,469,500 to St Ursula Villa, and $1,283,634 to Springer School and Center. The filing described the purposes of these grants as including general fund, operations, and various programs/general.
No application process, materials, restrictions, deadline, or policy on unsolicited requests is stated in the available information.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The fund’s 2025 filing lists Michael D Barnes as director, Scott J Bischoff as vice president, Logan A Wiedmann as secretary, and Lisa R Oliverio as treasurer. It also lists Mary P Burns as VP & Gift Co and Rebecca Ott, Heather Lethander, Ronald Christian, Illya Thomas, and Kelly Wilson as independent.
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund is led by Michael D. Barnes, Director & President on every filing since 2019; none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael D. Barnes
Director & President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heather Lethander
Independent
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa R. Oliverio
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary P. Burns
Vice President & Gift Co
Vice President → Vice President & Gift Co, 2021
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Ott
Independent
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ronald Christian
Independent
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott J. Bischoff
Vice President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Logan A. Wiedmann
Secretary
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Illya Thomas
Independent
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Wilson
Independent
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Marc E. Figgins (2019–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Todd D. Bacon (2019–2024) — Independent
- Former: Jennifer J. Kelhoffer (2019–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Thomas W. Seith (2019–2022) — Independent
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Johnson Charitable Gift Fund
How much does Johnson Charitable Gift Fund give each year?
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund gave $46.3M across 742 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $37.4M across 611 grants.
What is Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's typical grant size?
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $62,420, across 742 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Johnson Charitable Gift Fund that year got $55K on average.
Where does Johnson Charitable Gift Fund give grants?
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund gives mostly in Ohio: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Kentucky (12%) and Illinois (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (242 grants), Columbus, OH (19 grants), Cleveland, OH (18 grants) and New York, NY (17 grants).
Does Johnson Charitable Gift Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 48% of Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (353 of 742) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Various Programs/Gen" (99 grants), "Various Programs" (42 grants) and "Memorial" (7 grants).
Who are Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's largest grantees?
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Commonwealth Causes ($3,900,000), Seton High School ($3,293,045) and University of Cincinnati Foundation ($1,668,654), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Johnson Charitable Gift Fund?
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund reported $383.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $94.5M.
What does Johnson Charitable Gift Fund fund?
The fund’s stated mission is to promote and support philanthropy by simplifying charitable giving and educating donors on the benefits and rewards of charitable giving. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Johnson Charitable Gift Fund?
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's EIN?
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0233491. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Johnson Charitable Gift Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Ohio
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Johnson Charitable Gift Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/johnson-charitable-gift-fund-morg_f50ecca7086c41a7aa6e0f77d6c71a3b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300233491_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Johnson Charitable Gift Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/johnson-charitable-gift-fund-morg_f50ecca7086c41a7aa6e0f77d6c71a3b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Johnson Charitable Gift Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?