Willard And Ruth Johnson
The Willard and Ruth Johnson Charitable Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1992 and based in Houston, Texas. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$26.0M
+11.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
+25.5% YoY
Grant Count
55
-27.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$44K
+73.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Willard And Ruth Johnson reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Education
- Children and youth services
- Social services
- Support to United Methodist churches
The foundation describes its approach as providing general support to its grantees.
Grantmaking
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on general support rather than project-specific funding.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking extends across multiple states, with particular activity in:
- Texas
- Tennessee
- New Hampshire
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $26,013,386 (as of 2024)
Annual Activity (2023):
- Total revenues: $1,787,093
- Total expenses: $2,207,079
- Total assets: $23,334,033
Staffing: The foundation operates with no employees on staff.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $26,013,386 | $23,334,033 | $23,754,017 |
| Revenue | $5,339,207 | $1,787,093 | $2,715,750 |
| Expenses | $2,659,855 | $2,207,079 | $2,270,400 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,422,500 | $1,930,750 | $2,000,250 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,098,862 | $1,552,420 | $2,471,882 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,710,479 | $1,568,475 | $1,579,258 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St Lukes United Methodist Church ($650,000), Vanderbilt University ($157,500), Massachusetts General Hospital ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Avon Old Farms School Avon, CT | General Support | $50,000 |
| Brookwood Community Brookshire, TX | General Support | $50,000 |
| Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Insitutute Kingsville, TX | General Support | $55,000 |
| Campus Crusade for Christ Orlando, FL | General Support | $5,000 |
| Cardigan Mountain School Canaan, NH | General Support | $54,166 |
| Cassie's Place San Angelo, TX | General Support | $137,500 |
| Childrens Advocacy Center San Angelo, TX | General Support | $15,000 |
| Concho Valley Home for Girls San Angelo, TX | General Support | $15,000 |
| Edwin L Cox School of Business Dallas, TX | General Support | $40,000 |
| Gifts of Hope Midland, TX | General Support | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN W JOHNSON | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER B JOHNSON | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| STEVEN J LINDLEY | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Willard And Ruth Johnson fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Education • Children and youth services • Social services • Support to United Methodist churches The foundation describes its approach as providing general support to its grantees.
How do I apply for a grant from Willard And Ruth Johnson?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 69 grants in the most recent reporting year • Typical award range: $250,000–$650,000 • Total giving: $2,422,500 (based on 2024 IRS filing) **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • Vanderbilt University: $150,000 • Cardigan Mountain School: $125,000 • Cassies Place: $120,000 The foundation's grantmaking focuses on general support rather than project-specific funding.
Where does Willard And Ruth Johnson make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking extends across multiple states, with particular activity in: • Texas • Tennessee • New Hampshire
What size grants does Willard And Ruth Johnson award?
In 2024, Willard And Ruth Johnson awarded 55 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $44K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Willard And Ruth Johnson required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Willard And Ruth Johnson reported a distributable amount of $1.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Willard And Ruth Johnson's EIN?
Willard And Ruth Johnson's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0386599. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Willard And Ruth Johnson's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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