Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation
The Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation is a private foundation based in Mission Viejo, California. Its 2024 filing reports 17 grants totaling $279,394, with listed recipients including educational institutions, arts organizations, and charitable organizations.
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation at a glance
In short: Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation gave $279K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in California. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $279,394
- +7.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +6.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,435
- +1.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $8,475,910
- -0.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (3 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that contributions are made only to preselected charitable organizations. Its filing lists written materials, no deadline, and no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 3088, Mission Viejo, CA 92690
Phone: (714) 305-8360
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was City of Hope ($55K). Together the top 10 received $266K.
Grant Size Distribution
94 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 86 grants of 94 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grants were concentrated in California, which received 95% of grant dollars. The filing also reports 4% for Texas, 2% for Vermont, and 0% for Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 17 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 85% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $257K (2020) to $300K (2021). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $279K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Hope Irvine, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $55,000 |
| Chapman University Irvine, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $53,194 |
| Pacific Symphony Orchestra Irvine, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $40,000 |
| Segerstrom Center for the Arts Costa Mesa, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $30,500 |
| Claremont Graduate University Claremont, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $28,000 |
| Barclay Theater Irvine, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $20,000 |
| Boys Hope Girls Hope Irvine, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $12,000 |
| World Affairs Council Irvine, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $11,950 |
| Marine Military Academy Harlingen, TX | Sponsorship of Program | $10,000 |
| Orange High JRROTC Irvine, CA | Sponsorship of Program | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,475,910 | $543,027 | $547,902 | $279,394 | 17 | $385,345 | $298,297 | $452,215 |
| 2023 | $8,480,785 | $433,024 | $649,987 | $260,050 | 16 | $379,271 | $270,646 | $376,944 |
| 2022 | $8,697,748 | $-86,983 | $700,367 | $294,250 | 18 | $447,295 | $305,936 | $419,505 |
| 2021 | $9,485,098 | $915,598 | $528,422 | $299,734 | 21 | $408,225 | $876,706 | $394,848 |
| 2020 | $9,097,922 | $757,830 | $555,925 | $257,056 | 22 | — | $705,787 | $419,655 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $452K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 recipients illustrate the kinds of organizations it supports. Chapman University describes its mission as providing a personalized education that leads to “inquiring, ethical and productive lives as global citizens.” Pacific Chorale says it uplifts the human spirit through choral artistry, fosters unity in Southern California, and cultivates learning through artistic expression. City of Hope describes its mission as making hope a reality for people touched by cancer and diabetes.
Other 2024 recipients describe work in graduate education and leadership development, college-preparatory education for young men, postsecondary education for students with learning differences, and support for youth.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $279,394. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $55,000, with a median of $10,000. Listed grants included $55,000 to City of Hope, $53,194 to Chapman University, $40,000 to Pacific Symphony Orchestra, $30,500 to Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and $28,000 to Claremont Graduate University. The filing describes the purposes of the listed grants as sponsorship of a program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Mark Chapin Johnson is listed on the 2024 filing as “President &”.
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation is led by Mark Chapin Johnson, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020) — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mark Chapin Johnson
President
President & CEO → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation
How much does Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation give each year?
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation gave $279K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $260K across 16 grants.
What is Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation's typical grant size?
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,435, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation give grants?
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation gives mostly in California: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Irvine, CA (7 grants), Costa Mesa, CA (3 grants) and Orange, CA (2 grants).
Does Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Sponsorship of Program" (17 grants).
Who are Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation's largest grantees?
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include City of Hope ($55,000), Chapman University ($53,194) and Pacific Symphony Orchestra ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation?
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation reported $8.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $385K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $452K (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 Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 recipients illustrate the kinds of organizations it supports. Chapman University describes its mission as providing a personalized education that leads to “inquiring, ethical and productive lives as global citizens.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation's EIN?
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0441985. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Mark Chapin Johnson 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mark-chapin-johnson-foundation-morg_49bc9de5eacf41da9a4d1c88b67252ed
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330441985_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mark-chapin-johnson-foundation-morg_49bc9de5eacf41da9a4d1c88b67252ed},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Mark Chapin Johnson 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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