The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Akron, OH EIN: 25-1675809

The Carl J and Margot A Johnson Foundation is a private foundation based in Akron, Ohio. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations including a university, church ministries, and organizations providing support related to cancer and pregnancy.

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation at a glance

In short: The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation gave $1.4M across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $127K), mostly in Indiana. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$1,392,223
-0.3% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
11
+1000.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$126,566
-90.9% vs 2024
Median grant
$30,327
Total assets
$39,466,228
-1.9% vs 2024
Primary geography
Indiana (54% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 1396 Sand Run Rd, Akron, OH 44313
Phone: (412) 512-6764

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

Who The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Purdue University: $753KPurdue University$753KUniv of Akron Foundation: $207KUniv of Akron Foundation$207KMultiplication Network Ministries: $156KMultiplication NetworkMinistries$156KFoundation Scotland: $65KFoundation Scotland$65KPinky Swear Foundation: $60KPinky Swear Foundation$60KYetsena Foundation: $30KYetsena Foundation$30KAid For Women: $30KAid For Women$30KStonebriar Comm Church: $30KStonebriar Comm Church$30KTopeka High School Histrorical Fnd: $25KTopeka High School HistroricalFnd$25KIGM Orphanage Inc: $20KIGM Orphanage Inc$20K

The largest 2025 recipient was Purdue University ($753K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.

Grant Size Distribution

55 grants across all recorded years

28<$50K11$50–100K13$100–250K1$250–500K1$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 28 grants of 55 (51%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Indiana (54%), Ohio (23%), Illinois (13%), and Minnesota (4%). The filing also lists grants to recipients in Texas, Kansas, and California, and to Foundation Scotland.

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.

Cities

Castle RockChicagoEdinaEdinburgh UKFriscoN PickeringtonParkerSauk VillageOak BrookPasadenaPlanoAkronSan FranciscoWest LafayetteColorado SpringsColumbusFairlawnIrvineTopeka

How The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 51% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M16 grants2020 15 grants2021 16 grants2022 12 grants2023 1 grant2024 11 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $656K (2023) to $1.4M (2024). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $1.4M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Purdue University West Lafayette, INFurtherence of Wafer Fab Engineering Technology$753,000
Univ of Akron Foundation Akron, OHUnrestricted$206,644
Multiplication Network Ministries Sauk Village, ILUnrestricted$155,990
Foundation Scotland Edinburgh UK, OHUnrestricted$65,000
Pinky Swear Foundation Edina, MNUnrestricted$60,282
Yetsena Foundation Fairlawn, OHUnrestricted$30,327
Aid For Women Chicago, ILUnrestricted$30,315
Stonebriar Comm Church Frisco, TXUnrestricted$30,315
Topeka High School Histrorical Fnd Topeka, KSUnrestricted$25,000
IGM Orphanage Inc Irvine, CAUnrestricted$20,000
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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$39,466,228$318,439$1,483,496$1,392,22311$1,392,223—$2,719,210
2024$40,237,662$6,468,063$1,455,903$1,397,0001$1,397,000$5,924,161$2,351,799
2023$34,899,743$23,049,578$784,689$655,91112$747,268$262,157$1,575,597
2022$12,556,972$198,122$1,438,858$1,295,56116$1,295,561$65,655$1,224,734
2021$13,302,696$915,353$1,196,541$1,052,43315$1,052,433$771,245$1,585,357
2020$12,953,463$492,576$1,084,086$977,40316—$400,193$1,130,681

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for Purdue University’s wafer fab engineering technology, as well as grants to organizations with varied purposes. Multiplication Network Ministries describes its mission as equipping church leaders to strengthen and multiply healthy churches. Pinky Swear Foundation says it provides financial support to families with children battling cancer. Aid for Women says it operates pregnancy help centers, pregnancy medical clinics, and residential programs for women facing difficult and unexpected pregnancies.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $1,392,223. Grants ranged from $15,350 to $753,000, with a median of $30,327. It made one grant totaling $1,397,000 in 2024 and 12 grants totaling $655,911 in 2023.

Among its 2025 grants, Purdue University received $753,000 for the furtherance of wafer fab engineering technology, and the University of Akron Foundation received $206,644 unrestricted. Multiplication Network Ministries received $155,990 unrestricted, Pinky Swear Foundation received $60,282 unrestricted, and Aid for Women received $30,315 unrestricted.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Carl J Johnson and Jamie Brookhart as trustees and JD Brookhart as executive director.

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation is led by Jd Brookhart, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Jd Brookhart

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    15 hrs/week

    $60K (2020) → $60K (2025)

  • Carl J. Johnson

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jamie Brookhart

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    3 hrs/week

    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.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

JD Brookhart — Executive Director: $60KJD BrookhartExecutive Director$60K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $60K, to JD Brookhart (Executive Director).

Frequently asked questions about The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation

How much does The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation give each year?

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation gave $1.4M across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 1 grant.

What is The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation's typical grant size?

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,327, and its average grant was $126,566, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation give grants?

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation gives mostly in Indiana: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (23%) and Illinois (13%).

Does The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 91% of The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation's largest grantees?

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Purdue University ($753,000), Univ of Akron Foundation ($206,644) and Multiplication Network Ministries ($155,990), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation?

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation reported $39.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (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 Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for Purdue University’s wafer fab engineering technology, as well as grants to organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation?

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

What is The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation's EIN?

The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1675809. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does The Carl J and Margot a 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

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 15, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-carl-j-and-margot-a-johnson-foundation-morg_bf657422c76d46af9c83462e9667dba7

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251675809_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Carl J and Margot a Johnson Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-carl-j-and-margot-a-johnson-foundation-morg_bf657422c76d46af9c83462e9667dba7},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 The Carl J and Margot a 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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