Carl J and Margot A Johnson Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing states that the foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so you should not send it an unsolicited request.
- Because it works by invitation only, your effort is better spent building a relationship that could lead to an invitation than on a written request.
- If you are invited, about 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $10,000 and $160,000; that band is typical rather than a ceiling, since the largest grant was about $1,400,000, and the median grant was about $51,000.
- In its latest filing, none of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its two earlier filings, so a past grant should not be assumed to lead to another.
- No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, California and Texas, but that is a record of past giving, not a rule about who may apply.
Overview
Carl J and Margot A Johnson Foundation is a US private foundation based in Lawrence, KS.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's recorded grants are mostly unrestricted and reach a varied set of charitable organisations. Recipients include universities and research foundations, Christian ministries and churches, community foundations, food-assistance and women's-service organisations, youth-focused charities, historic-preservation groups and schools. One grant was designated for furtherance of wafer fab engineering technology. Its filed application information says it makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The filings show a record of giving across different charitable purposes and types of organisations.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, California and Texas.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, none of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 29 grants to organisations were about $51,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
1 other state: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 42% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 0% of grant dollars went to organisations Carl J and Margot A Johnson Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 9% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Purdue University · Furtherence of Wafer Fab Engineering Technology$1,397,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- JD Brookhart — Executive Director
- Jamie Brookhart — Trustee
- Carl J Johnson — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,438,858 | $1,295,561 | $17,582,174 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $784,689 | $655,911 | $42,811,456 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,455,903 | $1,397,000 | $53,789,582 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Carl J and Margot A Johnson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Lawrence, KS
Applying to Carl J and Margot A Johnson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Lawrence, KS