Walter S Johnson Foundation
The Walter S. Johnson Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California, established in 1968. The foundation assists young people ages 14-26 who are disconnected from education and employment to become successful adults, with a particular focus on those with foster care experience or at risk of involvement in the foster care system.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$131.6M
+18.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.3M
+2.8% YoY
Grant Count
53
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$101K
+2.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Walter S Johnson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on supporting transition-aged youth in Northern California and Nevada. Primary focus areas include:
- Educational opportunities for vulnerable young people
- Employment pathways and workforce development
- Programs serving youth ages 14-26 disconnected from education and employment
- Foster care transition support
- System reform and policy change initiatives
The foundation emphasizes relational grantmaking and supports organizational improvements to increase grantee effectiveness and efficiency. Key operational principles include flexibility and responsiveness, partnership with public agencies, engagement of those with lived experience, focus on long-term sustainability, and support for system-level reform.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$2,000–$696,000
Average Grant
$97,925
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- Northern California (45 counties)
- Nevada (all counties)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $131,585,969 (2024)
- Total Assets: $111,397,435 (2023)
- Total Giving (2024): $5,335,000
- Total Giving (2023): $5,190,000
- Total Revenues (2024): $27,501,589
- Total Expenses (2024): $7,740,619
- Giving Rate: 4.7% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $131,585,969 | $111,397,435 | $112,333,304 |
| Revenue | $27,501,589 | $6,362,686 | $7,811,314 |
| Expenses | $7,740,619 | $6,403,241 | $7,288,254 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,929,794 | $5,770,728 | $6,143,814 |
| Net Investment Income | $26,467,266 | $5,460,396 | $6,989,501 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,106,281 | $5,774,056 | $5,746,537 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
238 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Special Project Fund Daf ($588,000), American Bar Association Fund for Justice in Education ($300,000), California College Pathways Pooled Fund ($300,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A HOME WITHIN OAKLAND, CA | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $100,000 |
| AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC (FUND FOR EDUCATION SUCCESS) WASHINGTON DC, DC | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION FUND FOR JUSTICE IN EDUCATION WASHINGTON DC, DC | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $300,000 |
| ASPIRANET SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $100,000 |
| BRONCO BENCH FOUNDATION SANTA CLARA, CA | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $20,000 |
| CA HOMELESS YOUTH PROJECT SACRAMENTO, CA | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $50,000 |
| CORVALLIS HOMELESS SHELTER COALITION CORVALLIS, OR | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $5,000 |
| ETTIE LEE YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES BALDWIN PARK, CA | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $10,000 |
| HUTTO RESOURCE CENTER HUTTO, TX | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $5,000 |
| FIRST STAR INC LOS ANGELES, CA | TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH IN BECOMING SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Ashley Fontanetta – Executive Director
- Yali Lincroft – Program Director
- Chuck Hoblitzelle – Grants Manager
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NATE BRUCKNER | PRESIDENT | 2 | $16,000 |
| MONTY JOHNSON | TREASURER | 0.8 | $16,000 |
| KAITLYN TAMULONIS | SECRETARY | 1 | $16,000 |
| JESSICA JOHNSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | $16,000 |
| MARTIN SULLIVAN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | $8,000 |
| KATIE HAYDEN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | $16,000 |
| CHRISTOPHER RUPRIGHT | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | $16,000 |
| SANDY BRUCKNER | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.25 | $16,000 |
| REBECCA BRUCKNER | ADJUNCT TRUSTEE | 0.25 | — |
| KRISTIN JOHNSON | ADJUNCT TRUSTEE | 0.25 | — |
| DAVID SHACKELTON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | $8,000 |
Contact Information
Address: Walter S. Johnson Foundation, c/o Whittier Trust, 505 Montgomery Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94111-6529
Phone: (415) 283-1854
Email: Yali Lincroft, Program Director – ylincroft@whittiertrust.com
Website: wsjf.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Walter S Johnson Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on supporting transition-aged youth in Northern California and Nevada. Primary focus areas include: • Educational opportunities for vulnerable young people • Employment pathways and workforce development • Programs serving youth ages 14-26 disconnected from education and employment • Foster care transition support • System reform and policy change initiatives The foundation emphasizes relational grantmaking and supports organizational improvements to increase gr…
How do I apply for a grant from Walter S Johnson Foundation?
**Grant Amounts & Activity:** • Annual giving: approximately $5.2-5.3 million • Typical grant range: $2,000–$696,000 • Average grant: $97,925 • Median grant: $100,000 • Number of grants: 53 (2023), 59 (2022) **Application Process:** • Invitation only • Organizations must have 501(c)(3) status, be public agencies, or be projects sponsored by public charities • Decision timeline: 2-6 months • The foundation does not make grants to individuals, arts or film projects, or capital campaigns **Reporti…
Where does Walter S Johnson Foundation make grants?
• Northern California (45 counties) • Nevada (all counties)
What size grants does Walter S Johnson Foundation award?
In 2024, Walter S Johnson Foundation awarded 53 grants totaling $5.3M — an average of about $101K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Walter S Johnson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Walter S Johnson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Walter S Johnson Foundation's EIN?
Walter S Johnson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7003595. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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