Morse and Betty Johnson Family
Morse and Betty Johnson Family is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2025, it reported 23 grants totaling $210,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations in Ohio, Washington, DC, New York, Virginia, and Illinois.
Morse and Betty Johnson Family at a glance
In short: Morse and Betty Johnson Family gave $210K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Ohio. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $210,000
- -0.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,130
- -0.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $2,690,387
- -1.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (5 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (55% 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 Morse and Betty Johnson Family
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 312 Elm Street Suite 2550, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 762-8877
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Morse and Betty Johnson Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Playhouse in the Park ($25K). Together the top 10 received $140K.
Grant Size Distribution
112 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 112 grants of 112 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 55% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 26% to recipients in Washington, DC. Reported shares also included New York (7%), Virginia (5%), and Illinois (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Morse and Betty Johnson Family open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 22 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $182K (2020) to $336K (2023). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $210K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Playhouse in the Park Cincinnati, OH | General | $25,000 |
| Seven Hills Cincinnati, OH | General | $25,000 |
| The Know Theatre Cincinnati, OH | General | $15,000 |
| Bright Beginnings Washington, DC | General | $10,000 |
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Cincinnati, OH | General | $10,000 |
| Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation Cincinnati, OH | General | $10,000 |
| DC Billingual Public Charter School Washington, DC | General | $10,000 |
| Emma Willard School Troy, NY | General | $10,000 |
| John Eaton School HSA Washington, DC | General | $10,000 |
| Nature Foundation at Wintergreen Roseland, VA | General | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,690,387 | $190,976 | $236,130 | $210,000 | 23 | $210,200 | $168,389 | $209,124 |
| 2024 | $2,735,889 | $151,531 | $235,811 | $212,000 | 23 | $212,200 | $129,720 | $184,437 |
| 2023 | $2,818,790 | $17,684 | $373,370 | $336,000 | 25 | $336,200 | $50,319 | $173,140 |
| 2022 | $3,178,247 | $93,976 | $260,950 | $227,743 | 20 | $232,032 | $68,783 | $195,688 |
| 2021 | $3,346,034 | $211,717 | $220,290 | $188,122 | 21 | $192,664 | $183,280 | $232,275 |
| 2020 | $3,345,721 | $37,328 | $210,467 | $182,303 | 17 | — | $36,593 | $182,575 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Morse and Betty Johnson Family reported a distributable amount of $209K 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 included support for arts and cultural organizations, schools, scholarship opportunities, children and families, and conservation, as illustrated by the grantees’ own descriptions.
Bright Beginnings says it provides children and families experiencing housing instability with an educational environment and supports parents’ self-sufficiency. Tregaron Conservancy describes its work as restoring and maintaining 13 acres of historic landscape. The Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation says it connects Greater Cincinnati students with post-high-school scholarship opportunities. Emma Willard School describes itself as a school for girls in grades 9 through 12, serving boarding and day students. Chicago Lights says it supports Chicago’s youth and adults through relationships and programs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $210,000 through 23 grants. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $25,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest were $25,000 each to Playhouse in the Park and Seven Hills, and $15,000 to the Know Theatre. Other 2025 grants included $10,000 each to Bright Beginnings, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation, DC Bilingual Public Charter School, Emma Willard School, John Eaton School HSA, Nature Foundation at Wintergreen, So Others Might Eat, and Tregaron Conservancy. Chicago Lights received $5,000; the Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation also received a separate $5,000 grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Judith Johnson as president, Elizabeth Fotheringill as vice-president, Lisbeth Brilliant as treasurer, Kelly Rowland as secretary, and Jerry Fotheringill as trustee.
Morse and Betty Johnson Family is led by Judith Johnson, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Judith Johnson
President
Trustee → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jerry Fotheringill
Trustee
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Fotheringill
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kelly Rowland
Secretary
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Lisbeth Brilliant
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Morse and Betty Johnson Family
How much does Morse and Betty Johnson Family give each year?
Morse and Betty Johnson Family gave $210K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $212K across 23 grants.
What is Morse and Betty Johnson Family's typical grant size?
Morse and Betty Johnson Family's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,130, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Morse and Betty Johnson Family that year got $6K on average.
Where does Morse and Betty Johnson Family give grants?
Morse and Betty Johnson Family gives mostly in Ohio: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (26%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (11 grants) and Washington, DC (6 grants).
Does Morse and Betty Johnson Family give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Morse and Betty Johnson Family's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Morse and Betty Johnson Family's largest grantees?
Morse and Betty Johnson Family's largest 2025 grantees include Playhouse in the Park ($25,000), Seven Hills ($25,000) and Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation ($15,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Morse and Betty Johnson Family?
Morse and Betty Johnson Family reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $210K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $209K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Morse and Betty Johnson Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for arts and cultural organizations, schools, scholarship opportunities, children and families, and conservation, as illustrated by the grantees’ own descriptions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Morse and Betty Johnson Family?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Morse and Betty Johnson Family's EIN?
Morse and Betty Johnson Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0610207. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Morse and Betty Johnson Family 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.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Morse and Betty Johnson Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/morse-and-betty-johnson-family-morg_5d872ec6959f4e9bac976ec51acf38d0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200610207_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Morse and Betty Johnson Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/morse-and-betty-johnson-family-morg_5d872ec6959f4e9bac976ec51acf38d0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Morse and Betty Johnson Family'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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