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Edward C. Johnson Fund

Annual Giving
$20.5M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.0M

Edward C. Johnson Fund

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $20,541,479 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $497 million
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000 (average: $50,000)
  • Geographic Focus: New England (primarily Boston, MA; also Maine, New Hampshire)

Contact Details

Address: 7 Water Street, Boston, MA 02109-4100

Phone: (617) 646-7420 or (603) 681-4291

Note: This foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding.

Overview

Established in 1964, the Edward C. Johnson Fund is a family foundation connected to the Johnson family of Fidelity Investments. With total assets of $497 million and annual giving of approximately $20.5 million in 2023, the foundation supports arts and culture, historic preservation, environmental conservation, and health in Boston and throughout New England. The foundation has shifted its strategic focus in recent years, with environmental conservation and climate change now receiving the majority of its funding attention. The foundation made 44 grants in 2023, up from 18 grants in 2022, indicating an expansion of grantmaking activity. Leadership includes President Maura Marx and Program Director Stephen Sloan, with family members Abigail P. Johnson, Elizabeth L. Johnson, and Edward C. Johnson IV serving as board members.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Edward C. Johnson Fund operates as a private foundation without formal grant programs or public application cycles. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on their identified priorities and existing relationships.

Recent Grant Distribution (2023):

  • Total charitable disbursements: $21.5 million
  • Number of grants: 44
  • Typical grant range: $5,000 - $1,000,000
  • Average grant size: Approximately $50,000

Priority Areas

Environmental Conservation & Climate Change (Primary Focus) The foundation has shifted the majority of its attention to environmental conservation in recent years. Grants support land trusts, conservation organizations, and climate change initiatives. Recent grantees include:

  • Massachusetts Audubon Society
  • Midcoast Conservancy
  • Friends of Acadia
  • Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust
  • Barnstable Land Trust
  • The Conservation Fund
  • The Nature Conservancy

Arts & Culture The foundation invests in large, established cultural institutions capable of scaling impact rather than grassroots arts organizations. Many recent arts grants have incorporated environmental conservation themes. Recent grantees include:

  • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
  • Institute of Contemporary Art
  • Boston Children's Museum
  • Museum of Science
  • New England Aquarium

Health Modest recent giving focuses on hospitals and health centers rather than grassroots health initiatives. Recent grantees include:

  • Mass General Brigham Incorporated
  • Mount Desert Island Hospital (Maine)
  • Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Alzheimer's Research Forum (historical)
  • Health Leads (historical)

Historic Preservation, Higher Education, and Youth Programs The foundation also provides support for museums, historical societies, elementary and secondary schools, and select youth programs.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the foundation's pattern indicates:

  • Grassroots organizations without established track records
  • Organizations outside the New England region
  • Health initiatives that are not hospital or medical center-based
  • Small arts organizations without significant institutional capacity

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

  • Maura Marx, President (Compensation: $34,930 in 2023)
  • Stephen Sloan, Program Director (Compensation: $70,546 in 2023)
  • Kevin Saunders, Assistant Secretary (Compensation: $13,141 in 2023)

Board Members (serving without compensation):

  • Abigail P. Johnson (Chair and CEO of Fidelity Investments; trustee of Museum of Fine Arts since 2006)
  • Elizabeth L. Johnson
  • Edward C. Johnson IV

Historical Context: The foundation was established by Edward C. Johnson II, founder of Fidelity Investments, and later developed by his son Edward C. Johnson III (who led Fidelity for many years) before control of Fidelity passed to Abigail Johnson. The family's long-standing involvement with major Boston cultural institutions, including Edward Johnson's trusteeship at the Museum of Fine Arts since the 1970s, has shaped the foundation's priorities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Edward C. Johnson Fund does not accept unsolicited grant applications. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on organizations they have identified through their own research and existing relationships.

According to available information, "the foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding."

Application Success Factors

Since the Edward C. Johnson Fund does not accept public applications, success in receiving funding depends on factors outside the traditional application process:

Institutional Capacity & Scale The foundation demonstrates a clear preference for large, established institutions with proven track records and the capacity to scale their impact. Arts and culture grants consistently go to major Boston institutions like the Museum of Fine Arts, Institute of Contemporary Art, and Museum of Science rather than smaller grassroots organizations.

Alignment with Environmental Conservation Focus Recent giving patterns show that environmental conservation and climate change have become the foundation's dominant focus area. Organizations working at the intersection of arts/culture and environmental conservation may be particularly well-positioned, as the foundation has funded conservation organizations like The Nature Conservancy and Massachusetts Audubon Society through its arts giving portfolio.

Geographic Location Grant recipients are overwhelmingly based in New England, particularly Massachusetts and Maine, reflecting the Johnson family's regional ties. Some grants extend to New Hampshire and occasionally to North Carolina and the United Kingdom, but New England remains the primary geographic focus.

Connection to Johnson Family Interests The foundation's giving reflects the personal interests and board affiliations of the Johnson family. Abigail Johnson's service on the Museum of Fine Arts board since 2006 and Edward Johnson's trusteeship there since the 1970s exemplify how family connections to institutions influence grantmaking decisions.

Hospital and Medical Center Infrastructure In the health sector, the foundation favors established hospitals and medical centers (Mass General Brigham, Mount Desert Island Hospital) over grassroots health initiatives or community health programs.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - The Edward C. Johnson Fund makes all grants through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited proposals
  • Institutional scale matters - The foundation consistently funds large, established organizations with significant capacity rather than grassroots efforts
  • Environmental conservation is ascendant - Recent years show a strategic shift toward environmental conservation and climate change as the primary funding focus
  • Geographic concentration - Grants overwhelmingly support New England institutions, particularly in Massachusetts and Maine, reflecting the Johnson family's regional roots
  • Board connections matter - Family members' personal affiliations with institutions (such as Abigail Johnson's Museum of Fine Arts board service) appear to influence grantmaking priorities
  • Recent expansion - The foundation made 44 grants in 2023 compared to 18 in 2022, suggesting increased grantmaking activity as Edward Johnson stepped back from Fidelity management
  • Direct approach unlikely to succeed - With no public application process and a stated policy of not responding to unsolicited requests, organizations seeking funding must rely on indirect relationship-building strategies or trustee identification

References

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