The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family

Private foundation · Grantmaker Tiburon, CA EIN: 95-4712836

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family is a private foundation based in Tiburon, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including nature-based healing, constitutional rights, animal welfare, youth sports, arts and cultural preservation, and community support.

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family at a glance

In short: The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family gave $817K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $33K), mostly in California. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$816,709
+11.9% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
25
+19.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$32,668
-6.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$30,000
Total assets
$6,221,207
-7.8% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
16% first-time grantees (4 of 25, 2025)
Primary geography
California (64% 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 The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its filing lists Philip B Johnson as the contact and a letter to the foundation as the application material. It lists no restrictions on awards.

Contact

Application contact: Philip B Johnson
Mailing address: 1915 Mar West Street, Tiburon, CA 94920

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

Who The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

The Impact Forum Foundation: $122KThe Impact Forum Foundation$122KInstitute for Justice: $60KInstitute for Justice$60KStand with US: $50KStand with US$50KAbbey of New Clairvaux: $47KAbbey of New Clairvaux$47KPEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc: $40KPEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc$40KWasatch Freestyle Foundation: $40KWasatch Freestyle Foundation$40KState Theater for the Arts: $40KState Theater for the Arts$40KThe Kern Project: $40KThe Kern Project$40KNational Parks Conservation Associa: $40KNational Parks ConservationAssocia$40KMarine Mammal Center: $30KMarine Mammal Center$30K

The largest 2025 recipient was The Impact Forum Foundation ($122K). Together the top 10 received $509K.

Grant Size Distribution

137 grants across all recorded years

123<$50K11$50–100K3$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 123 grants of 137 (90%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, recipients in California received 64% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in New York (11%), Virginia (7%), Utah (5%), and the District of Columbia (5%).

Grant Distribution by State

14states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.

Cities

Red BluffNew YorkLos AngelesArlingtonWashingtonCsu ChicoPark CityRaleighSausalitoChicoAgoura HillsBaltimoreCorte MaderaPortlandAshlandEast PatchogueEncinoLarkspurWatertownBrooklyn

Is The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family open to new grantees?

16%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 4 of 25 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $34K. How we count

Medians: $23K first-time, $30K repeat.

  • 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+13%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 90% 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 (2020–2025). 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$250K$500K$750K$1M29 grants2020 29 grants2021 31 grants2022 31 grants2023 21 grants2024 25 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $540K (2020) to $871K (2023). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $817K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The Impact Forum Foundation Encino, CAImproving lives by sharing the healing power of nature in more than 25 countries.$122,236
Institute for Justice Arlington, VAProtect constitutional rights of clients and educate the public through various media$60,000
Stand with US Los Angeles, CASupporting Israel and Fighting Antisemitism Around the World$50,000
Abbey of New Clairvaux Vina, CARestoration project by trappist monks -resurrecting a client monastic building.$46,903
PEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc New York, NYMaking direct distribution of funds to selected and approved charitable organizations in israel$40,000
Wasatch Freestyle Foundation Park City, UTTo provide a positive & life guiding sports training environment for youth$40,000
State Theater for the Arts Red Bluff, CARestoration project of a theater on the national register of historic places.$40,000
The Kern Project Corte Madera, CATo save dogs and cats of Kern county, ca through rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming.$40,000
National Parks Conservation Associa Washington, DCTo be the leading voice in the safeguarding of our national parks and monuments.$40,000
Marine Mammal Center Sausalito, CAAdvances global ocean conservation through marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, scientific research and education$30,000
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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$6,221,207$307,874$829,644$816,70925$821,075$303,524$915,558
2024$6,745,937$1,472,211$864,429$730,00021$733,762$1,360,504$821,907
2023$6,135,195$-90,712$1,030,231$871,10031$876,040—$762,247
2022$7,256,238$1,264,543$919,319$720,00031$725,950$1,086,274$848,573
2021$6,922,779$2,039,603$767,866$596,05229—$1,898,976$724,370
2020$5,888,774$88,655$668,729$540,00029——$607,710

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family reported a distributable amount of $916K 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 include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Institute for Justice says it advances the rule of law and litigates to secure individual liberties; The Kern Project says it rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes homeless animals in Kern County; and the Wasatch Freestyle Foundation says it provides a competitive team environment for youth skiers. North Valley Community Foundation describes its work as using grantmaking and other services to support local and global impact.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $816,709. Grants ranged from $5,333 to $122,236, with a median of $30,000. The largest grants included $122,236 to The Impact Forum Foundation for sharing the healing power of nature; $60,000 to the Institute for Justice; $50,000 to Stand With Us for supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism; and $46,903 to the Abbey of New Clairvaux for a restoration project.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Colleen Henrickson and Limor Johnson as directors, Mark C Johnson as vice president, and Philip B Johnson as president.

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family is led by Philip B. Johnson, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Philip B. Johnson

    President

    Treasurer → President, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Colleen Henrickson

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    No compensation reported

  • Limor Johnson

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    No compensation reported

  • Mark C. Johnson

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Elizabeth A. Wray (2020–2024) — Treasurer

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 The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family

How much does The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family give each year?

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family gave $817K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $730K across 21 grants.

What is The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family's typical grant size?

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $32,668, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family that year got $24K on average.

Where does The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family give grants?

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family gives mostly in California: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (11%) and Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (4 grants), Red Bluff, CA (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Chico, CA (2 grants).

Does The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family's largest grantees?

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family's largest 2025 grantees include The Impact Forum Foundation ($122,236), Institute for Justice ($60,000) and Stand with US ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family?

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family reported $6.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $821K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $916K (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 The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family's EIN?

The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4712836. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does The Bernard J & Mary T 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

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Bernard J & Mary T Johnson Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-bernard-j-and-mary-t-johnson-family-morg_8fdb4f4690124810b9545d18d88f2483

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954712836_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Bernard J \& Mary T Johnson Family funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-bernard-j-and-mary-t-johnson-family-morg_8fdb4f4690124810b9545d18d88f2483},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 The Bernard J & Mary T 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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