Johnston-Fix Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Spokane, WA EIN: 94-3076779

The Johnston-Fix Foundation is a private foundation based in Spokane, Washington. It made 19 grants totaling $468,720 in filing year 2025, primarily to organizations in Washington.

Johnston-Fix Foundation at a glance

In short: Johnston-Fix Foundation gave $469K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Washington. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$468,720
-2.4% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
19
-20.8% vs 2024
Average grant
$24,669
+23.3% vs 2024
Median grant
$25,000
Total assets
$6,758,154
+3.0% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
5% first-time grantees (1 of 19, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Washington (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Johnston-Fix Foundation

How to Apply

The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its 2024 filing says there is no application form and suggests applicants write for information or submit a grant request. The filing states that awards are primarily for the Spokane area, are not made to individuals, and do not include direct scholarships.

Contact

Application contact: John Penn Fix
Mailing address: P O Box 8489, Spokane, WA 99203
Phone: (509) 838-2160

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Johnston-Fix Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Inland Northwest Land Conservancy: $50KInland Northwest LandConservancy$50KNorthwest Museum of Arts and Culture: $34KNorthwest Museum of Arts andCulture$34KUpper Columbia Resource Conservation & Development: $30KUpper Columbia ResourceConservation & Development$30KGirl Scouts of Spokane: $30KGirl Scouts of Spokane$30KSpokane Public Radio: $30KSpokane Public Radio$30KCommunity Colleges of Spokane: $25KCommunity Colleges of Spokane$25KEastern Washington University: $25KEastern Washington University$25KGonzaga University: $25KGonzaga University$25KKSPS Public TV Friends: $25KKSPS Public TV Friends$25KSecond Harvest Food Bank: $25KSecond Harvest Food Bank$25K

The largest 2025 recipient was Inland Northwest Land Conservancy ($50K). Together the top 10 received $299K.

Grant Size Distribution

117 grants across all recorded years

114<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 117 (97%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation’s 2024 filing states that awards are primarily for the Spokane area. In filing year 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and 4% to recipients in California.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.

Cities

SpokaneCheneyLos AngelesSeattleWalla WallaBostonNew YorkSpokane ValleyBerkeleyMeadNew HavenNorthhamptonOlympiaPortland

Is Johnston-Fix Foundation open to new grantees?

5%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 19 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $30K; repeat grants $24K. How we count

Medians: $30K first-time, $25K repeat.

  • 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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

$0$200K$400K$600K34 grants2019 27 grants2020 27 grants2021 23 grants2022 24 grants2023 24 grants2024 19 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $365K (2019) to $490K (2020). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $469K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Inland Northwest Land Conservancy Spokane, WACharitable Distribution$50,000
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture Spokane, WACharitable Distribution$33,500
Upper Columbia Resource Conservation & Development Olympia, WACharitable Distribution$30,000
Girl Scouts of Spokane Spokane, WACharitable Distribution$30,000
Spokane Public Radio Spokane, WACharitable Distribution$30,000
Community Colleges of Spokane Spokane, WACharitable Distribution$25,000
Eastern Washington University Cheney, WACharitable Distribution$25,000
Gonzaga University Spokane, WACharitable Distribution$25,000
KSPS Public TV Friends Seattle, WACharitable Distribution$25,000
Second Harvest Food Bank Spokane, WACharitable Distribution$25,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$6,758,154$708,078$528,994$468,72019$468,720$661,733$499,371
2024$6,559,070$1,997,368$558,190$480,12024$480,120$1,957,752$457,476
2023$5,119,892$866,646$506,143$467,05024$467,050$835,403$444,213
2022$4,759,389$460,977$479,687$425,50023$425,500$429,937$464,049
2021$4,778,099$699,263$511,300$439,35027$439,350$673,370$468,369
2020$4,590,136$2,588,082$564,849$490,00027—$2,533,387$412,680
2019$2,570,903$1,485,556$446,653$364,82534—$391,813$405,404

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Johnston-Fix Foundation reported a distributable amount of $499K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations in areas including conservation, arts and culture, education, public media, food assistance, and youth programs. For example, Spokane Public Radio describes its mission as providing artistic, educational, and informational programming that enhances cultural life and civic discourse; Spokane Youth Symphony says it provides orchestral education and performance opportunities for Inland Northwest youth. Dishman Hills Conservancy describes its work as protecting land for people and wildlife while connecting people to nature.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $468,720. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable grants included $50,000 to Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, $33,500 to Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and $30,000 each to Upper Columbia Resource Conservation & Development, Girl Scouts of Spokane, and Spokane Public Radio. Other 2025 recipients included Salish School of Spokane ($22,000), Occidental College ($20,500), Spokane Youth Symphony ($15,000), and Dishman Hills Conservancy ($5,000).

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists John Penn Fix as president; Louise Fix as vice president; James R Harless as treasurer; and Debra Schultz as secretary. It lists Thomas M Culbertson, Rob Lindsay, and Pierce Fix as directors.

Johnston-Fix Foundation is led by John Penn Fix, President on every filing since 2024; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • John Penn Fix

    President

    On filings since 2024

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rob Lindsay

    Director

    Vice President → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    $500 (2019) → $0 (2025)

  • Thomas M. Culbertson

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    $500 (2019) → $0 (2025)

  • Pierce Fix

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Debra Schultz

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    4 hrs/week

    $500 (2019) → $0 (2025)

  • James R. Harless

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    $500 (2019) → $0 (2025)

  • Louise Fix

    Vice President

    Secretary → Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    $500 (2019) → $0 (2025)

Former officers (4)
  • Former: Allan C. Fix (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Harold J. Fix (2019–2023) — President
  • Former: Penn Fix (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: William C. Fix (2019) — Director

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2023 IRS filing

Louise Fix — Secretary: $500Louise FixSecretary$500

The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $500, to Louise Fix (Secretary).

Frequently asked questions about Johnston-Fix Foundation

How much does Johnston-Fix Foundation give each year?

Johnston-Fix Foundation gave $469K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $480K across 24 grants.

What is Johnston-Fix Foundation's typical grant size?

Johnston-Fix Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $24,669, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Johnston-Fix Foundation that year got $30K on average.

Where does Johnston-Fix Foundation give grants?

Johnston-Fix Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Spokane, WA (14 grants).

Does Johnston-Fix Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Johnston-Fix Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Distribution" (19 grants).

Who are Johnston-Fix Foundation's largest grantees?

Johnston-Fix Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Inland Northwest Land Conservancy ($50,000), Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture ($33,500) and Upper Columbia Resource Conservation & Development ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Johnston-Fix Foundation?

Johnston-Fix Foundation reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $469K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $499K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Johnston-Fix Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations in areas including conservation, arts and culture, education, public media, food assistance, and youth programs. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Johnston-Fix Foundation?

The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Johnston-Fix Foundation's EIN?

Johnston-Fix Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3076779. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 2, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 26, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 7, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 1, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 13, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 28, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 27, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Johnston-Fix Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/johnston-fix-foundation-morg_b499b925c06e4cc189af5e936c4a953f

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943076779_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Johnston-Fix Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/johnston-fix-foundation-morg_b499b925c06e4cc189af5e936c4a953f},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Johnston-Fix Foundation'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.

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