Milton And Denice Johnson Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,378,000 (2023)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: N/A (preselected organizations)
• Grant Range: $3,000 - $250,000
• Geographic Focus: Tennessee (primary), Georgia and Maryland (secondary)

Contact Details

• Website: None identified
• Phone: Not publicly available
• Email: Not publicly available
• Application Method: Invitation-only/Preselected organizations

Overview

The Milton And Denice Johnson Family Foundation is a private foundation established by R. Milton Johnson, former CEO of HCA Healthcare, and his wife Denice. With total assets of $32.1 million as of 2024, the foundation distributed $1,378,000 through 54 grants in 2023. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications, focusing their giving primarily on Tennessee-based organizations with emphasis on education, religious institutions, healthcare, and community services. The Johnsons are also major philanthropists beyond their foundation, having committed over $50 million to Belmont University alone, demonstrating their deep commitment to educational access and first-generation college students.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs but makes discretionary grants ranging from $3,000 to $250,000. Recent distributions include:

• Large Capital Grants: $100,000 - $250,000 (capital campaigns, major initiatives)
• Mid-size Operational Grants: $25,000 - $75,000 (program support)
• Small Support Grants: $3,000 - $20,000 (general support)

Priority Areas

• Education: Christian schools, scholarships, educational access programs
• Religious Organizations: Churches and faith-based organizations
• Healthcare: Memory care facilities, cancer research, medical services
• Food Security: Food banks and hunger relief programs
• Community Services: Police support funds, community foundations

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, analysis of grant patterns shows the foundation does not typically fund:

• International organizations
• Political campaigns or advocacy
• Individual requests
• Organizations outside their geographic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

R. Milton Johnson - Chairman and Trustee. Former CEO of HCA Healthcare and major philanthropist who has stated his commitment to supporting first-generation college students and educational access.

Denice Johnson - Trustee and co-founder of the foundation.

Additional Trustees:

• Kaitlyn Johnson
• Tyler Johnson
• Clark Rollins
• Lyndsey Rollins

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. According to their Form 990 filings, the foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified or with which they have existing relationships.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - organizations are preselected by trustees

Success Rates

Not applicable - invitation-only funding model

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their grant patterns reveals:

• Strong Tennessee connection essential: 90%+ of grants go to Tennessee-based organizations
• Alignment with Johnson family values: Education access, faith-based initiatives, and community service
• Established track record: Recipients are typically well-established organizations with proven impact
• Capital campaigns succeed: Several large grants support capital campaigns for expansion
• First-generation student focus: Given Milton Johnson's public commitment to first-generation college students, programs serving this population may align with foundation priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - grants are by invitation only
• Focus is heavily on Tennessee organizations, particularly in Nashville and surrounding areas
• Education, particularly Christian education and scholarships, receives the largest portion of funding
• The foundation supports both large capital campaigns ($100,000+) and smaller operational grants
• Milton and Denice Johnson's broader philanthropic interests include first-generation college student support
• Organizations seeking support would need existing relationships with trustees or be identified through their networks
• The foundation maintains consistent support for core recipients year over year

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990 data for Milton And Denice Johnson Family Foundation (accessed February 2026)
• Cause IQ Foundation Database - Grant recipient analysis 2021-2023 (accessed February 2026)
• Grantmakers.io - Foundation profile and grant distributions (accessed February 2026)
• Instrumentl - 990 Report Analysis for EIN 85-6607033 (accessed February 2026)
• Belmont University News & Media - "Milton and Denice Johnson Pledge $30 Million Gift" January 2025
• GrantExec - Foundation funding patterns and recipient data (accessed February 2026)