Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 51-0180842 · since 1976lkjf.org·Cook County, Grand Portage, Lake County, St. Louis County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$2.7M

Annual giving, 2025 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$3,250 to $45,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$15,000

Typical grant (median)

72 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

A mix of rolling and fixed deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Its geographic focus is Cook County, Lake County, Southern St. Louis Counties and the Grand Portage Native nation, so check that your organisation is located in or serves residents of one of these.
It gives to 501(c)(3) organisations, public entities and organisations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, so a group outside those routes falls outside its stated eligibility, and it does not fund election campaigns, lobbying, direct religious purposes, individuals or businesses.
Most of its grants are modest: half of its 219 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less, about 8 in 10 fall between $3,250 and $45,000, and its stated sizes are from $3,500 for quarterly grant cycles and up to $3,500 for Small Grant Proposals, so a request in that range fits its pattern.
The filing shows that 85% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first approach may be harder to win and it is worth building a relationship, although new applicants are welcome and are asked to complete the Applicant Readiness Tool first.
For quarterly grants, send an inquiry before the window closes on December 10, March 10, June 10 or September 10, with invited written proposals due by 5 pm on the 15th of January, April, July or October; Small Grant applicants begin with an inquiry conversation with the programme officer, and quarterly applicants should expect a site visit by staff and a Board member.

Overview

Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation is a US private foundation based in Duluth, MN.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation seeks to expand opportunities for people and communities on the North Shore through intentional giving, a commitment to place and work with people to improve the region. Its stated interests include social welfare and healthy youth development; arts and culture; education and lifelong learning; community and economic development, particularly economic self-sufficiency for people and families with low incomes; and environmental education and care for air, water and land. It gives to IRS-designated 501(c)(3) organisations, public entities such as school districts, local government and Native Nations, and organisations working with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Applicants must be located in or serve residents in the named North Shore counties and communities.

Themes

Social welfare
Arts and culture
Education
Community and economic development
Environment

Geographic Focus

Cook County; Lake County; Southern St. Louis Counties; Grand Portage Native nation.

What They Don't Fund

Election campaigns
Lobbying activities
Direct religious purposes
Private foundations
Businesses
Individuals
Scholarship Program only: Housing; living expenses; transportation; laptops; program tools; flight simulator fees in the aviation program

How to apply

Quarterly applicants submit an inquiry; those invited proceed to a written proposal. Small Grant applicants begin with an inquiry conversation with the programme officer.

Deadlines:

For each quarterly grant cycle, the inquiry window closes on December 10, March 10, June 10, and September 10; applicants should reach out before those dates.
Invited quarterly applications are due by 5 pm on the 15th of January, April, July, and October. If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications are accepted until 5 pm the next business day.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 85% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 219 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

New applicants are asked to complete the Applicant Readiness Tool before proceeding.
For quarterly grants, Foundation staff and a Board member conduct a site visit to learn about the organisation and proposal.
Grant programme staff may arrange a conversation by phone, video or in person when feasible.
Final reports are expected to describe progress towards grantee-identified goals and outcomes and include a final project budget and expense report.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.

Grant dollars by state

Minnesota100%

Wisconsin<1%

The largest single recipient received 25% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2025, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
<1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

72 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $15,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 72 grants in tax year 2025 by size

Under $1k6%

$1k–$2.5k7%

$2.5k–$5k19%

$5k–$10k4%

$10k–$25k31%

$25k–$50k19%

$50k–$100k10%

$100k–$250k3%

$250k–$500k0%

$500k–$1M0%

$1M and over1%

Median $15,000 (tax year 2025)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior · To support land restoration costs fo
$1,265,0002025 tax year
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic · New electronic health records system
$130,0002025 tax year
Cook County Schools- Isd 166 · Playground improvements and ada-comp
$100,0002025 tax year
Lake Superior College · Scholarships
$73,5272025 tax year
Cook County Higher Education · Tuition scholarships for cook county
$70,0002025 tax year
WTIP Cook County Community Radio · General operating expenses as wtip w
$65,0002025 tax year
Violence Prevention Center · General operating costs to sustain c
$53,0002025 tax year
Maji Ya Chai Land Sanctuary · Security and infrastructure improvem
$50,0002025 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Doug Thompson — Director
Stephen Surbaugh — Director
Pete Jeronimus — Director
Cindy Hansen — Director
Ed Crawford — Director
Jeff Stoddard — Treasurer
Kirsten Cruikshank — Vice Preside
Lynn Goerdt — President
Erik Torch — Executive Di

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2023 tax year	$1,746,652	$1,402,203	$27,700,620	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$1,816,651	$1,284,032	$31,039,493	Filing for 2024 tax year
2025 tax year	$3,332,728	$2,745,657	$31,261,701	Filing for 2025 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

Registers and filings

Other sources

lkjf.org

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