The CDR Johnson Family Foundation concentrates its resources on sustaining a family-linked endowment while supporting conservative/liberty-oriented philanthropic infrastructure, elite higher‑education research, and targeted issue groups. Most grants flow to fellow foundations and organizations that build networks, leadership hubs, and venture-style philanthropic initiatives, with occasional funding for scientific research (cancer) and addiction education. The foundation favors organizational capacity and platform-building over broad grassroots service delivery.
A $5.35 million endowment grant to Ce Johnson Foundation is the clearest signal in the Cdr Johnson Family Foundation Inc’s recent record: it uses most of its resources to sustain a related family-linked philanthropic vehicle while making a smaller set of program grants around conservative/liberty-oriented infrastructure, higher-education research, and issue-based networks. The foundation’s grant list shows a strong preference for organizations that build capacity rather than direct-service programs, including support for The Battery Foundation and Stand Together Trust. It also funds selected research and health work, such as a postdoctoral fellowship at USC and support for Stanford Cancer Discovery Fund. In a separate line of giving, it has backed addiction education and prevention through the Addiction Education Society and treatment-oriented work tied to USC. Other recent grants extend to defense-policy network work through Silicon Valley Defense Group and to scholarship support at the Culinary Institute of America, indicating a mix of endowment support, platform funding, and targeted educational or research awards. The pattern is national, but the grantee mix is concentrated in a small set of organizational hubs.
A major thread in the foundation’s grantmaking is research and clinical work in cancer. It gave $100,000 to Stanford Cancer for the Stanford Cancer Discovery Fund and $50,000 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for pancreatic cancer research. Another theme is addiction education and treatment. The Addiction Education Society received $100,000 for general support, and USC received $50,000 to fund a post doc and addiction treatment. The foundation also supports scholarship and training pathways: the Culinary Institute of America received $50,000 for scholarships and another $50,000 for 10 scholarships. A further strand is healthcare innovation and reimagining care, reflected in a $125,000 grant to Stand Together Ventures for The Phoenix, Skill Up, Reimagine Healthcare Strategy, Khan Universe.
Grant size is concentrated in modest-to-midrange awards: the median grant is $20,000, with the 25th percentile at $10,000 and the 75th percentile at $25,000. The recent record also includes a very large endowment transfer alongside repeated support for a small group of organizations over multiple years, including The Battery, Stand Together Ventures, USC, Silicon Valley Defense Group, YMCA of San Francisco, and McLean Hospital. That repetition points to ongoing relationships rather than one-off grants. The foundation is a regular funder, and it funds individuals as well as organizations. The available records do not show an application process.
$1M
$21.9M
$1M
$1M
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 1% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Highly concentrated: a single very large endowment payment dominates total giving, with the remainder split among a small number of mid‑to‑large grants to repeat/affiliated philanthropic vehicles, elite universities, and niche issue groups. Mix of one-off endowment transfers and strategic multi‑institution grants rather than many small community grants.
Notable grantees: CE Johnson Foundation, Stand Together Ventures / Stand Together Trust, The Battery Foundation / The Battery, University of Southern California (postdoctoral fellowship), Stanford Cancer Discovery Fund
Grantmaking is national, with all recorded grants going to U.S. recipients. California appears frequently in the recipient list, especially San Francisco, which shows up for The Battery, YMCA of San Francisco, Fast Forward, City Youth Now, Dressed for Success San Francisco, and Silicon Valley Defense Group. Los Angeles also appears through USC. Outside California, recent grants reached Baltimore, Stanford, New York, Hyde Park, and Belmont. The recipient distribution shows no grants to Florida organizations, despite the foundation’s Palm Beach headquarters.
Its recent grants include endowment support for a family-linked foundation, general support for platform-oriented organizations, research grants in cancer, addiction education and treatment, scholarships, and selected healthcare innovation work. The recipient list includes The Battery, Stand Together Trust, Stanford Cancer, Addiction Education Society, USC, and the Culinary Institute of America.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $20,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. Recent records also include larger grants such as $100,000, $125,000, and a $5.35 million endowment transfer.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including The Battery, Stand Together Ventures, USC, Silicon Valley Defense Group, YMCA of San Francisco, and McLean Hospital. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than purely one-time gifts.
Giving is national, and California shows the highest concentration of recipient organizations. San Francisco appears repeatedly in the recent-grants list, with additional California recipients in Los Angeles, Stanford, San Mateo, and Cupertino. All recorded grants in the data are to U.S. organizations.
Yes. The foundation’s profile indicates that it funds individuals, and its recent grants include postdoctoral fellowship support at USC along with scholarship-related grants at the Culinary Institute of America.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAST FORWARD | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,567 | 2026 | BAYES IMPACT, VISILANT, VECTORCAM, AND MATERIOM |
| ADDICTION EDUCATION SOCIETY | SAN MATEO, CA | $100,243 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STANDING TOGETHER VENTURES | BALTIMORE, MD | $100,000 | 2026 | REIMAGINE HEALTHCARE FUND, KHAN UNIVERSE, SKILL UP COALITION, AND THE PHOENIX |
| CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA | HYDE PARK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF SF | FRANCISCO, CA | $50,250 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,250 | 2026 | POST-DOC AND TREATMENT CENTER |
| SUMMER SEARCH | OAKLAND, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE BATTERY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VICTORIA'S VOICE FOUNDATION | ORLANDO, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRECEDE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMON SPIRIT HEALTH FOUNDATION | ENGLEWOOD, CO | $35,694 | 2026 | PANCREATIC EARLY DETECTION RESEARCH PROJECT |
| CENTER FOR NEW AMERICAN SECURITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ADDICTION EDUCATION SOCIETY | SAN MATEO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREENLIGHT FUND | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE GUARDSMEN | FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ETHICAL AI GOVERNANCE GROUP INC | MENLO PARK, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO SPCA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY YOUTH NOW | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MELISSA ETHERIDGE FOUNDATION | ENCINO, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMON SPIRIT HEALTH FOUNDATION | ENGLEWOOD, CO | $14,306 | 2026 | PANCREATIC EARLY DETECTION RESEARCH PROJECT |
| CIRCLE OF SUCCESS SCHOLARS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NFL ALUMNI - NORTHERN CALIFORNIA | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE GIVING BACK FUNDNEXUS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY | FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN MATEO HEALTH FOUNDATION | SAN MATEO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE TOWER FOUNDATION OF SJSU | SAN JOSE, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | PRECISION FLIGHT SCHOOL |
| CIRCLE OF SUCCESS SCHOLARS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FERRARI OWNERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | KENTFIELD, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BABY QUEST FOUNDATION INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STAND TOGETHER VENTURES | BALTIMORE, MD | $125,000 | 2025 | THE PHOENIX, SKILL UP, REIMAGINE HEALTHCARE STRATEGY, KHAN UNIVERSE |
| ADDICTION EDUCATION SOCIETY | SAN MATEO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED HATZALAH OF ISRAEL | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| USC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | TO FUND A POST DOC AND ADDICTION TREATMENT |
| CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA | HYDE PARK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| FAST FORWARD | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT, CAREER VILLAGE, FREE WORLD, UPROOTED ACADEMY, UNLOCKED LABS, AND EMPOWR |
| THE BATTERY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO SPCA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YMCA OF SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | MISSION YMCA |
| CITY YOUTH NOW | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DRESSED FOR SUCCESS SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ADDICTION EDUCATION SOCIETY | SAN MATEO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CICERO INSTITUTE | AUSTIN, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEIGHBORS FOR A BETTER SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SILICON VALLEY DEFENSE GROUP | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA | PLEASANT HILL, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MOMS FIRST | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE GUARDSMEN | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOWELL CONSERVATION FUND | ATLANTA, GA | $15,000 | 2025 | HENDERSON ISLAND PROJECT |
| FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY | NAPA, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
FAST FORWARD
$100,567BAYES IMPACT, VISILANT, VECTORCAM, AND MATERIOM
STANDING TOGETHER VENTURES
$100,000REIMAGINE HEALTHCARE FUND, KHAN UNIVERSE, SKILL UP COALITION, AND THE PHOENIX
CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
$75,000SCHOLARSHIPS
POST-DOC AND TREATMENT CENTER
VICTORIA'S VOICE FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PRECEDE FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMON SPIRIT HEALTH FOUNDATION
$35,694PANCREATIC EARLY DETECTION RESEARCH PROJECT
THE GUARDSMEN
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ETHICAL AI GOVERNANCE GROUP INC
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MELISSA ETHERIDGE FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMON SPIRIT HEALTH FOUNDATION
$14,306PANCREATIC EARLY DETECTION RESEARCH PROJECT
CIRCLE OF SUCCESS SCHOLARS
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NFL ALUMNI - NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE GIVING BACK FUNDNEXUS
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAN MATEO HEALTH FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CIRCLE OF SUCCESS SCHOLARS
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FERRARI OWNERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BABY QUEST FOUNDATION INC
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
STAND TOGETHER VENTURES
$125,000THE PHOENIX, SKILL UP, REIMAGINE HEALTHCARE STRATEGY, KHAN UNIVERSE
UNITED HATZALAH OF ISRAEL
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
$50,000SCHOLARSHIPS
GENERAL SUPPORT, CAREER VILLAGE, FREE WORLD, UPROOTED ACADEMY, UNLOCKED LABS, AND EMPOWR
THE BATTERY
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DRESSED FOR SUCCESS SAN FRANCISCO
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CICERO INSTITUTE
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SILICON VALLEY DEFENSE GROUP
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MOMS FIRST
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOWELL CONSERVATION FUND
$15,000HENDERSON ISLAND PROJECT
FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT