Willard And Ruth Johnson
Willard And Ruth Johnson is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas. Its 2024 filing reports 55 grants totaling $2,422,500 to charitable organizations, including a church, universities, schools, and community organizations.
Willard And Ruth Johnson at a glance
In short: Willard And Ruth Johnson gave $2.4M across 55 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), mostly in Texas. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,422,500
- +25.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 55
- -27.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $44,045
- +73.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $26,013,386
- +11.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (8 of 55, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (74% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Willard And Ruth Johnson
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3900 Essex Ste 400, Houston, TX 77027
Phone: (713) 627-1101
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Willard And Ruth Johnson funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St Lukes United Methodist Church ($650K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
350 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 290 grants of 350 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Texas (74%), Tennessee (16%), Massachusetts (6%), New Hampshire (2%), and Connecticut (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Willard And Ruth Johnson open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 55 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 84% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 21% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 142% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2020) to $2.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 55 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Lukes United Methodist Church Houston, TX | General Support | $650,000 |
| Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | General Support | $157,500 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | General Support | $150,000 |
| Cassie's Place San Angelo, TX | General Support | $137,500 |
| The University of The South Sewanee, TN | General Support | $100,000 |
| Maryville College Maryville, TN | General Support | $75,000 |
| Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Insitutute Kingsville, TX | General Support | $55,000 |
| Cardigan Mountain School Canaan, NH | General Support | $54,166 |
| Avon Old Farms School Avon, CT | General Support | $50,000 |
| Brookwood Community Brookshire, TX | General Support | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $26,013,386 | $5,339,207 | $2,659,855 | $2,422,500 | 55 | $2,422,500 | $5,098,862 | $1,710,479 |
| 2023 | $23,334,033 | $1,787,093 | $2,207,079 | $1,930,750 | 76 | $1,930,750 | $1,552,420 | $1,568,475 |
| 2022 | $23,754,017 | $2,715,750 | $2,270,400 | $2,000,250 | 73 | $2,000,250 | $2,471,882 | $1,579,258 |
| 2021 | $23,308,667 | $2,507,767 | $2,222,628 | $2,000,485 | 77 | $2,000,485 | $2,283,525 | $1,791,940 |
| 2020 | $23,023,528 | $1,092,797 | $1,940,583 | $1,705,000 | 69 | — | $926,412 | $1,477,018 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Cassie's Place describes itself as an animal rescue organization that finds homes for displaced dogs and provides them with care and temporary homes. Maryville College says it prepares students for citizenship and leadership, while Cardigan Mountain School says it prepares middle school boys for responsible and meaningful lives. Star of Hope Mission describes its work as mobilizing Houston to serve people facing homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 55 grants totaling $2,422,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $650,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest awards included $650,000 to St Lukes United Methodist Church, $157,500 to Vanderbilt University, $150,000 to Massachusetts General Hospital, $137,500 to Cassie's Place, and $100,000 to The University of The South. The filing lists each of these grants as general support.
Other 2024 grants included $75,000 to Maryville College, $54,166 to Cardigan Mountain School, $50,000 each to Avon Old Farms School, Brookwood Community, and Kinkaid School, and $40,000 to the Edwin L Cox School of Business. Houston Botanic Garden received $40,000; University of St Thomas received $35,000; and Star of Hope Mission and Memorial Park Conservancy each received $30,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists John W Johnson as president, Christopher B Johnson as secretary, and Steven J Lindley as vice president.
Willard And Ruth Johnson is led by John W. Johnson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John W. Johnson
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher B. Johnson
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven J. Lindley
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: David M. Johnson (2020–2023) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Willard And Ruth Johnson
How much does Willard And Ruth Johnson give each year?
Willard And Ruth Johnson gave $2.4M across 55 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 76 grants.
What is Willard And Ruth Johnson's typical grant size?
Willard And Ruth Johnson's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $44,045, across 55 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Willard And Ruth Johnson that year got $34K on average.
Where does Willard And Ruth Johnson give grants?
Willard And Ruth Johnson gives mostly in Texas: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Tennessee (16%) and Massachusetts (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (21 grants), Midland, TX (9 grants), San Angelo, TX (6 grants) and Dallas, TX (2 grants).
Does Willard And Ruth Johnson give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Willard And Ruth Johnson's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (55 of 55) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Willard And Ruth Johnson's largest grantees?
Willard And Ruth Johnson's largest 2024 grantees include St Lukes United Methodist Church ($650,000), Vanderbilt University ($157,500) and Massachusetts General Hospital ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Willard And Ruth Johnson?
Willard And Ruth Johnson reported $26.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Willard And Ruth Johnson fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Cassie's Place describes itself as an animal rescue organization that finds homes for displaced dogs and provides them with care and temporary homes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Willard And Ruth Johnson?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Willard And Ruth Johnson 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Willard And Ruth Johnson funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/willard-and-ruth-johnson-morg_faf359d07d884cb4b45237f0c9efa49f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760386599_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Willard And Ruth Johnson funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/willard-and-ruth-johnson-morg_faf359d07d884cb4b45237f0c9efa49f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Willard And Ruth Johnson'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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