The Johnson Foundation Inc
The Johnson Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Racine, Wisconsin. Its website identifies it as The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread and describes its work as bringing people together to develop ideas and advance solutions through convenings and partnerships.
The Johnson Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Johnson Foundation Inc gave $14K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Wisconsin. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $14,301
- +26.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,022
- +26.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $65,275,646
- +2.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (4 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (100% 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 Johnson Foundation Inc
- Contact
Application contact: The Johnson Foundation
Mailing address: 33 East Four Mile Road, Racine, WI 53402
Phone: (262) 681-3211
Website: https://www.johnsonfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Johnson Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of Racine ($9K). Together the top 10 received $13K.
Grant Size Distribution
81 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 81 grants of 81 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for filing year 2025 went to recipients in Wisconsin. The Foundation’s website describes its collaborative work as extending through Racine and southeastern Wisconsin, as well as globally.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Johnson Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 14 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $375; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $375 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). 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 $11K (2024) to $41K (2020). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $14K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of Racine Racine, WI | General Donation | $8,926 |
| Downtown Racine Corporation Racine, WI | General Donation | $750 |
| Racine Art Museum Racine, WI | General Donation | $625 |
| Halo Inc Racine, WI | General Donation | $500 |
| Hospitality Center Racine, WI | General Donation | $500 |
| Racine County Workforce Solutions Racine, WI | General Donation | $500 |
| Racine Unified School District Racine, WI | General Donation | $500 |
| Spanish Center Inc Racine, WI | General Donation | $500 |
| Beleaf Survivors Racine, WI | General Donation | $250 |
| Heritage Committee of Racine Racine, WI | General Donation | $250 |
Ready to take the next step with The Johnson Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $65,275,646 | $5,310,164 | $5,647,851 | $14,301 | 14 | $3,326,166 | $4,734,108 |
| 2024 | $63,569,932 | $6,243,915 | $4,783,160 | $11,270 | 14 | $3,614,367 | $2,875,644 |
| 2023 | $59,581,161 | $3,808,419 | $5,163,049 | $11,980 | 11 | $3,333,443 | $1,503,884 |
| 2022 | $58,249,744 | $4,338,703 | $3,949,535 | $13,304 | 19 | $2,957,274 | $3,357,772 |
| 2021 | $66,044,513 | $2,842,605 | $4,201,732 | $27,900 | 23 | — | $2,272,314 |
| 2020 | $58,652,590 | $7,539,856 | $5,170,353 | $41,417 | 30 | — | $1,919,689 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is “to bring people together to generate transformative ideas that have a positive and lasting impact in our communities.” Its website describes convening people to explore different perspectives, build understanding and common ground, and develop ideas and action plans.
The current initiative is framed around building a Racine where every family can thrive. The website identifies parenting programs and supports, as well as job and workplace supports aimed at helping families build financial stability, as areas of work.
The 2025 grants include organizations with varied missions. For example, Downtown Racine Corporation says it works to promote downtown Racine’s economic growth and revitalization. BeLEAF Survivors says it provides support and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault and works on education and outreach. Racine Literacy Council says it provides reading and writing instruction to Racine County residents.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation made 14 grants totaling $14,301. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $8,926, with a median grant of $500. Its largest grant was $8,926 to United Way of Racine for a general donation. Other notable grants included $750 to Downtown Racine Corporation and $625 to Racine Art Museum; grants of $500 each went to HALO Inc, Hospitality Center, Racine County Workforce Solutions, Racine Unified School District, and Spanish Center Inc.
The Foundation’s 2024 filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. How to apply: The filing says to contact The Johnson Foundation with an informal letter, following application guidelines on the Foundation’s website. It makes no grants to individuals. Deadline: None.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Johnson Foundation Inc is led by Marcus White, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 8 of 10 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marcus White
President
President - → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$90K (2020) → $235K (2025)
Helen Johnson-Leipold
Chairperson
Chairman → Chairperson, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kate Wolford
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Michael Dombeck
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Gregory Wesley
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$5K (2022) → $5K (2025)
Laura Gutierrez
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$5K (2022) → $5K (2025)
Tim Mahone
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$5K (2022) → $5K (2025)
Eric Olesen
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$5K (2025)
Winifred Marquart
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paula Wolff
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Paul Portney (2020–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Roger Dower (2020) — President -
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $235K, to Marcus White (President). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Johnson Foundation Inc
How much does The Johnson Foundation Inc give each year?
The Johnson Foundation Inc gave $14K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $11K across 14 grants.
What is The Johnson Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Johnson Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,022, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Johnson Foundation Inc that year got $375 on average.
Where does The Johnson Foundation Inc give grants?
The Johnson Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Racine, WI (14 grants).
Does The Johnson Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Johnson Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Johnson Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Johnson Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of Racine ($8,926), Downtown Racine Corporation ($750) and Racine Art Museum ($625), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Johnson Foundation Inc?
The Johnson Foundation Inc reported $65.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $5.3M.
What does The Johnson Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s mission is “to bring people together to generate transformative ideas that have a positive and lasting impact in our communities.” Its website describes convening people to explore different perspectives, build understanding and common ground, and develop ideas and action plans. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Johnson Foundation Inc?
The Johnson Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check johnsonfdn.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Johnson Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Johnson Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3675289. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 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 February 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Johnson Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Racine Community Foundation Inc
Racine, WI
Racine Community Foundation supports nonprofits strengthening Racine County in areas including arts and culture, education, healthcare, human services, community development, and the environment. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median award of $24,500, with grants ranging from $5,336 to $133,266. It accepts requests through an annual Letter of Intent process; only organizations whose LOIs are accepted are invited to apply.
Assets
$95.6M
Grants
88
Total Given
$2.9M
Ec Styberg Foundation Inc
Racine, WI
The foundation supports nonprofits serving people in southeastern Wisconsin, with past grants spanning health, education, youth programs, social services, arts, and conservation. Its 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $49,456, with a median of $2,919. Requests are accepted anytime; contact Michael Budish.
Assets
$3.0M
Grants
70
Total Given
$505K
Ruffo Family Foundation Inc
Racine, WI
The Ruffo Family Foundation supports education, arts and culture, healthcare, cancer prevention, treatment and research, and local community improvement, with most 2025 grant dollars going to Wisconsin organizations. Its 36 grants in 2025 totaled $330,500, ranging from $1,000 to $88,000, with a median of $3,000. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$3.2M
Grants
36
Total Given
$331K
United States Energy Foundation
San Francisco, CA
United States Energy Foundation funds education, outreach, and analysis advancing clean and equitable energy and climate solutions, including renewable energy, efficiency, clean transportation, buildings, and industry, in the United States. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $21 million, with a median of $135,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests or proposals; grant-seekers must be invited.
Assets
$215.7M
Grants
597
Total Given
$166.3M
United Way of Racine County Inc
Racine, WI
United Way of Racine County funds nonprofit programs and community initiatives focused on healthy communities, youth opportunity, financial security, and related local needs. Its 2025 grants ranged from $7,209 to $242,115, with a median award of about $25,000, and supported recipients in Wisconsin, including programs serving Racine County residents. The profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$10.6M
Grants
42
Total Given
$2.0M
The McKnight Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The McKnight Foundation funds arts and culture, resilient food systems, Midwest climate and energy, neuroscience, and equitable communities, with Minnesota a primary focus for several programs and work also extending beyond the state. Its 2024 grants had a median of $100,000; prospective applicants should first discuss fit with program staff, who provide proposal instructions if the work can be considered.
Assets
$2.7B
Grants
790
Total Given
$145.9M
More similar funders
More Funders in Wisconsin
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Johnson Foundation Inc'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.
The Johnson Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?