Russell Johnson Foundation
The Russell Johnson Foundation is a private foundation based in Northbrook, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports $110,750 in grants to 18 organizations.
Russell Johnson Foundation at a glance
In short: Russell Johnson Foundation gave $111K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Illinois. 12% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $110,750
- +5.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +5.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,153
- -0.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,608,984
- -5.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (2 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (86% 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 Russell Johnson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 14 Bridlewood Road Suite 200, Northbrook, IL 60062
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Russell Johnson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Partners for Our Communities ($20K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $91K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 77 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 9% to New York, 5% to California, and 1% to New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Russell Johnson Foundation open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 17 grantees (12%) 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 $3K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 88% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $50K (2020) to $111K (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $111K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Jewish Committee New York, NY | General | $10,000 |
| Excel Beyond 211 Palatine, IL | General | $10,000 |
| Partners for Our Communities Palatine, IL | Role Program | $10,000 |
| Partners for Our Communities Palatine, IL | Icompete Youth Program | $10,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Arlington Heights, IL | General | $10,000 |
| Shalva Chicago, IL | General | $10,000 |
| YWCA of Evanston Evanston, IL | General | $8,000 |
| Sarah's Circle Chicago, IL | General | $7,500 |
| Apna Ghar Chicago, IL | General | $5,000 |
| Canine Therapy Corp Chicago, IL | General | $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 | $1,608,984 | $50,290 | $134,238 | $110,750 | 18 | $110,750 | $32,302 | $97,705 |
| 2023 | $1,692,932 | $12,501 | $125,988 | $105,000 | 17 | $105,000 | $18,824 | $95,229 |
| 2022 | $1,968,166 | $18,674 | $128,482 | $105,000 | 17 | $105,000 | $16,213 | $89,932 |
| 2021 | $2,005,974 | $290,235 | $135,613 | $103,000 | 16 | $103,000 | $641,340 | $85,837 |
| 2020 | $1,566,019 | $99,673 | $49,500 | $49,500 | 9 | — | $99,673 | $5,226 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Russell Johnson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $98K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants included organizations working in areas such as domestic-abuse support, housing and services for women experiencing homelessness, services for immigrant survivors of gender violence, and community assistance and pathways to education and jobs. These are grantees’ missions, not stated focus areas of the foundation.
For example, SHALVA describes its work as providing counseling, referrals, and supportive services for people experiencing or healing from domestic abuse, alongside community education. Sarah’s Circle says it provides housing, life necessities, and supportive services to help women end homelessness. Apna Ghar describes its work as providing services, outreach, and advocacy to end gender violence in immigrant communities. Partners for Our Communities says it coordinates community resources and provides assistance, referrals, and pathways to continued education and better jobs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $110,750. Grant amounts ranged from $750 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $10,000 each to American Jewish Committee, Excel Beyond 211, SHALVA, Planned Parenthood, and Partners for Our Communities. Partners for Our Communities received two separate $10,000 grants, listed for its ROLE Program and ICompete Youth Program. Other grants included $8,000 to YWCA of Evanston, $7,500 to Sarah’s Circle, and $5,000 each to Apna Ghar, Canine Therapy Corp, Distinctive Schools, and Northwest Community Hospital Women’s Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Roger J Hymen as president, Donna R Epton as treasurer, and Abigail E Hymen as director.
Russell Johnson Foundation is led by Roger J. Hymen, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Roger J. Hymen
President
President → Director & President, 2021
Director & President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Abigail E. Hymen
Director
Director Secretary → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Donna R. Epton
Treasurer
Director, Secretary & Treasurer → Director & Treasurer, 2021
Director & Treasurer → Treasurer, 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 Russell Johnson Foundation
How much does Russell Johnson Foundation give each year?
Russell Johnson Foundation gave $111K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $105K across 17 grants.
What is Russell Johnson Foundation's typical grant size?
Russell Johnson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,153, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Russell Johnson Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Russell Johnson Foundation give grants?
Russell Johnson Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants), Palatine, IL (3 grants) and Arlington Heights, IL (3 grants).
Does Russell Johnson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 78% of Russell Johnson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Russell Johnson Foundation's largest grantees?
Russell Johnson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Partners for Our Communities ($20,000 across 2 grants), American Jewish Committee ($10,000) and Excel Beyond 211 ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Russell Johnson Foundation?
Russell Johnson Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $111K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $98K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Russell Johnson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Russell Johnson Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it 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 Russell Johnson Foundation's EIN?
Russell Johnson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2022674. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Russell 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Russell Johnson Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Russell Johnson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Russell Johnson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/russell-johnson-foundation-morg_a49a4289ea7c4e7f81bf6ec60bb72e7d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_852022674_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Russell Johnson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/russell-johnson-foundation-morg_a49a4289ea7c4e7f81bf6ec60bb72e7d},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-05. 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 Russell 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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