The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with the largest share of grant dollars going to recipients in Alabama.
Key facts about The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson
In short: The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson gave $1.9M across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $53K), mostly in Alabama. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-5592026
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,893,180
- Grants made (2025)
- 36
- Average grant
- $52,588
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (8 of 36, 2025)
- Total assets
- $11,449,842
- Primary geography
- Alabama (82% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.4M
-7.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+118.4% YoY
Grant Count
36
+24.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$53K
+75.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson reported a distributable amount of $762K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 36 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 154% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 253% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations working in areas including community services, education, food assistance, arts and culture, and crisis support.
For example, United Way of Central Alabama, which received $1,045,000 in 2025, says its mission is to increase people’s organized capacity to care for one another and improve their community. Preschool Partners, a 2025 recipient of $15,000, describes its work as preparing preschool children and families for success through education, family engagement, and community collaboration. Crisis Center Inc, which received $5,000, says it provides services to people in crisis, including hotline and sexual-assault response services.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 36 grants totaling $1,893,180 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $1,045,000, with a median of $10,000. In 2024, it reported 29 grants totaling $867,014; in 2023, it reported 21 grants totaling $635,238.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $1,045,000 to United Way of Central Alabama, $134,225 to Wolford College, $120,122 to Birmingham Museum of Art, $100,000 to Community Foodbank of Central Alabama, and $83,333 to Empower Community School. The stated purpose for each was “support of programs.”
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. The filing lists Sumner Johnson Rives as the contact, with forms and materials, deadlines, and restrictions on awards listed as N/A.
Ready to take the next step with The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama, 7% to South Carolina, 6% to New York, 4% to the District of Columbia, and 1% to Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $489K (2019) to $1.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of Central Alabama ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
135 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 104 grants of 135 (77%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of Central Alabama Birmingham, AL | Support of Programs | $1,045,000 |
| Wolford College Spartanburg, SC | Support of Programs | $134,225 |
| Birmingham Museum of Art New York City, NY | Support of Programs | $120,122 |
| Community Foodbank of Central Alabama Birmingham, AL | Support of Programs | $100,000 |
| Empower Community School Bessemer, AL | Support of Programs | $83,333 |
| Modern Classrooms Project Washington, DC | Support of Programs | $75,000 |
| Birmingham Education Foundation (Sail Program) Birmingham, AL | Support of Programs | $50,000 |
| O'Neal Library Capital Campaign Mountain Brook, AL | Support of Programs | $30,000 |
| Foundations Early Learning Center Fairfield, AL | Support of Programs | $25,000 |
| Stair Birmingham, AL | Support of Programs | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants reported | Grant total |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | $1,893,180 |
| 2024 | 29 | $867,014 |
| 2023 | 21 | $635,238 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,449,842 | $12,316,768 | $11,282,375 |
| Revenue | $1,947,813 | $1,970,979 | $938,627 |
| Expenses | $1,998,030 | $936,586 | $685,349 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,924,120 | $871,362 | $645,351 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,421,961 | $534,201 | $900,308 |
| Distributable Amount | $762,008 | $693,682 | $635,627 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 19, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sumner Johnson Rives as president; Kate Fisher Johnson as secretary/treasurer; and Milton R Johnson, John Christian Rives, James Milton Johnson, and Sallie R Johnson as directors.
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson is led by Sumner Johnson Rives, President on every filing since 2021; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sumner Johnson Rives
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$50K (2025)
James Milton Johnson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Christian Rives
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Milton R. Johnson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sallie R. Johnson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kate Fisher Johnson
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Tracy Stephens (2022) — Director
- Former: Sumner Johnson (2019–2020) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $50K, to Sumner Johnson Rives (President).
Contact
Application contact: Sumner Johnson Rives
Mailing address: PO Box 530965, Birmingham, AL 35253
Phone: (205) 222-8858
Frequently asked questions about The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson
How much does The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson give each year?
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson gave $1.9M across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $867K across 29 grants.
What is The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson's typical grant size?
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $52,588, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson that year got $23K on average.
Where does The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson give grants?
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson gives mostly in Alabama: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were South Carolina (7%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (24 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of Programs" (36 grants).
Who are The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson's largest grantees?
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of Central Alabama ($1,045,000), Wolford College ($134,225) and Birmingham Museum of Art ($120,122), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson?
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson reported $11.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $762K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations working in areas including community services, education, food assistance, arts and culture, and crisis support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that 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 The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson's EIN?
The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5592026. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The James Milton and Sallie R Johnson accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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