Milton and Denice Johnson Family

NASHVILLE, TN EIN: 85-6607033

The Milton and Denice Johnson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. Established in 2021, it operates as a grantmaking organization focused on supporting various charitable causes through operational support and capital campaigns.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$32.1M

+8.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.4M

+3.1% YoY

Grant Count

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$26K

+3.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Milton and Denice Johnson Family reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation primarily funds operational support and capital campaigns for its grantees. Recent grant activity demonstrates support across multiple sectors including religious institutions, food security, and family services.

Grantmaking

The foundation has demonstrated a pattern of supporting organizations including Harding Academy, religious institutions, food banks, and family service organizations.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation operates primarily in Tennessee, with a focus on Nashville and the Middle Tennessee region.

Grant Distribution by State

Tennessee $4.5M (96%)

Georgia $105K (2%)

Maryland $100K (2%)

States

Georgia Maryland Tennessee

Cities

AntiochAtlantaBaltimoreBrentwoodEaglevilleFranklinHermitageNashvilleNasvhille

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

Total assets: $32,078,878
Total revenues: $5,904,955
Total expenses: $1,635,754
Total giving: $1,420,500

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$32,078,878	$29,602,715	$27,410,855
Revenue	$5,904,955	$1,637,278	$1,119,334
Expenses	$1,635,754	$1,520,080	$1,280,644
Qualifying Distributions	$1,441,315	$1,402,874	$1,220,743
Net Investment Income	$9,382,916	$2,756,872	$1,665,307
Distributable Amount	$1,515,437	$1,407,427	$1,284,133

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

217 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pencil ($250,000), Abe's Garden ($100,000), Family and Children's Services ($100,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ABE'S GARDEN NASHVILLE, TN	CAPITAL CAMPAIGN	$100,000
ADOPTION PROJECT EAGLEVILLE, TN	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT	$25,000
ALIVE HOSPICE NASHVILLE, TN	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT	$10,000
AMERICAN RED CROSS OF TENNESSEE NASHVILLE, TN	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT	$10,000
BELMONT UNIVERSITY NASHVILLE, TN	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT	$10,000
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA NASHVILLE, TN	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT	$5,000
CHEEKWOOD NASHVILLE, TN	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT	$10,000
COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF TENNESSEE NASHVILLE, TN	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT	$25,000
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE NASHVILLE, TN	VOICES FOR A SAFER TENNESSEE COMMUNITY EDUCATION FUND	$10,000
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE NASHVILLE, TN	METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE POLICE SUPPORT FUND	$50,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
R MILTON JOHNSON	CHAIRMAN	1	—
DENICE JOHNSON	TRUSTEE	1	—
KAITLYN JOHNSON	TRUSTEE	—	—
TYLER JOHNSON	TRUSTEE	—	—
CLARK ROLLINS	TRUSTEE	—	—
LYNDSEY ROLLINS	TRUSTEE	—	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

Milton and Denice Johnson have made significant philanthropic commitments to Belmont University:

Retired HCA Healthcare CEO Milton Johnson and Wife Denice Make Historic $30M

2025

A historic $30 million gift announced in 2025, bringing their total donations to Belmont to over $50 million

$30 million new gift to university from Milton and Denice Johnson brings\

A $10 million donation to Belmont University's Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine

Former HCA CEO Milton Johnson and wife Denice make historic donation to Belmont

Milton Johnson is a retired HCA Healthcare CEO.

Retired HCA Healthcare CEO Milton Johnson and Wife Denice Make Historic $30M

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Milton and Denice Johnson Family fund?

How do I apply for a grant from Milton and Denice Johnson Family?

**Grant Activity:** • In 2024, the foundation made 51 grants totaling $1,420,500 • Recent grants include: • Woodmont Christian Church: $175,000 (Operational Support) • Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee: $100,000 (Support for Mobile Program and Operations) • Family and Children's Service: $100,000 (Capital Support) The foundation has demonstrated a pattern of supporting organizations including Harding Academy, religious institutions, food banks, and family service organizations.

Where does Milton and Denice Johnson Family make grants?

The foundation operates primarily in Tennessee, with a focus on Nashville and the Middle Tennessee region.

What size grants does Milton and Denice Johnson Family award?

In 2024, Milton and Denice Johnson Family awarded 54 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Milton and Denice Johnson Family required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Milton and Denice Johnson Family reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Milton and Denice Johnson Family's EIN?

Milton and Denice Johnson Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-6607033. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.