The Johnson Robert K Foundation is a major donor focused on large, institutional general operating support for elite cultural institutions, higher education, and a notable environmental/climate initiative. Grants are few but very large, directed to national museums and performing arts organizations, select universities, and a significant climate-focused nonprofit. The foundation appears to favor established organizations with national profiles and capacity for unrestricted support.
Highly concentrated giving: very few, very large unrestricted grants to well-established national cultural institutions and universities, with occasional funding for strategic policy or climate organizations; some repeat giving to flagship grantees.
A 2025 $10,000,000 general operating grant to New York Climate Exchange Inc stands out in the Johnson Robert K Foundation-main’s recent record, where seven- and eight-figure awards are used for core support rather than restricted projects. The foundation directs large grants to established nonprofit institutions across culture, higher education, and conservation, with repeated support for organizations that already operate at national or regional scale. Recent examples include $12,000,000 to the Metropolitan Opera Association Inc in 2024 and $5,048,750 to The Frick Collection in 2025, both for general operating support. Higher education also appears as a recurring priority, including major support for University of Miami and University of Notre Dame Du Lac, as well as Columbia University. The grant list also shows a climate-oriented funding line through New York Climate Exchange Inc, alongside environmental and land-conservation recipients such as Nature Conservancy and Dutchess Land Conservancy Inc. The pattern is consistent with a funder that uses large, flexible grants to reinforce organizational capacity at institutions with broad public or educational missions.
In performing arts, the foundation supported the Metropolitan Opera Association Inc with $12,000,000 in 2024 and another $3,000,000 in 2025, both for general operating support. It also gave $100,000 to Berkshire Opera Festival in 2025. In the arts and collections space, The Frick Collection received $5,048,750 in 2025, extending a line of support that also included a $75,000 grant in 2024. Higher education is another visible theme: University of Miami received $8,150,000 in 2024, University of Notre Dame Du Lac received $5,000,000 in 2023, and Columbia University received $5,000,000 in 2024. Environmental and land conservation groups also appear, including $1,000,000 to Nature Conservancy and $1,000,000 to Dutchess Land Conservancy Inc.
Typical awards are large: p25 is $69,000, median grant size is $100,000, and p75 reaches $1,000,000. The recent grant list shows both repeat recipients and one-time awards. Metropolitan Opera Association Inc, The Frick Collection, Columbia University, and Frost Valley YMCA each appear more than once across the listed years, while many others appear once. Every listed award is general operating support, pointing to unrestricted, core funding. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$25.5M
$70.4M
$7.9M
$26.4M
Most grants fall between $69K and $1M, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$69K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$1M
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: Metropolitan Opera Association, New York Climate Exchange, University of Miami, The Frick Collection, University of Notre Dame
Grantmaking is national, and every listed recipient is in the US. New York is the top state by grant count, with multiple recipients in New York City plus Millbrook, Wassaic, Amenia, Claryville, and Lakeville. Other recipient cities include Coral Gables, Notre Dame, Easton, Pittsfield, Miami, Providence, Salisbury, Aiken, and New York’s Hudson Valley communities. No grants in the recent list go to recipients in Missouri, despite the foundation’s Saint Louis headquarters.
The recent grants show support for major performing arts organizations, art museums and collections, universities, environmental groups, and some independent schools and local nonprofits. Named recipients include Metropolitan Opera Association Inc, The Frick Collection, University of Miami, University of Notre Dame Du Lac, and New York Climate Exchange Inc.
The listed grants are all marked general operating. That includes awards such as $12,000,000 to Metropolitan Opera Association Inc, $5,048,750 to The Frick Collection, and $8,150,000 to University of Miami, showing a clear preference for unrestricted core support.
Yes. Metropolitan Opera Association Inc appears in both 2024 and 2025, The Frick Collection appears in 2024 and 2025, Columbia University appears in 2023 and 2024, and Frost Valley YMCA appears in 2023 and 2024. That indicates repeat support rather than one-time-only giving.
New York is the top state by grant count. The recipient list includes multiple organizations in New York City and several others in Millbrook, Wassaic, Amenia, Claryville, and Lakeville, making New York the most frequent destination for grants.
The distribution is very large: p25 is $69,000, median grant size is $100,000, and p75 is $1,000,000. The recent record also includes seven- and eight-figure awards, such as $10,000,000 to New York Climate Exchange Inc and $12,000,000 to Metropolitan Opera Association Inc.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $8,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | MIAMI, FL | $6,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME DU LAC | NOTRE DAME, IN | $5,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM INC | MYSTIC, CT | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HARLEM VALLEY RAIL TRAIL ASSOCIATION | MILLERTON, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NEW YORK CLIMATE EXCHANGE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE FRICK COLLECTION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,048,750 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOC INC | SALISBURY, CT | $650,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BERKSHIRE OPERA FESTIVAL | PITTSFIELD, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| INNISFREE FOUNDATION INC | MILLBROOK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER TRUST INC | MIAMI, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | CORAL GABLES, FL | $8,150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ATTN GIFT PLANNING OPERATIONS | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MILLBROOK SCHOOL | MILLBROOK, NY | $1,500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DUTCHESS LAND CONSERVANCY INC | MILLBROOK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WETHERSFIELD FOUNDATION INC | AMENIA, NY | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| AIKEN TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | AIKEN, SC | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WASSAIC PROJECT INC | WASSAIC, NY | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FROST VALLEY YMCA | CLARYVILLE, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| LAKEVILLE JOURNAL FOUNDATION INC | LAKEVILLE, CT | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| LAFAYETTE COLLEGE | EASTON, PA | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SPCA ALBRECHT CENTER FOR ANIMAL WELFARE | AIKEN, SC | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FRICK COLLECTION | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HITCHCOCK WOODS FOUNDATION | AIKEN, SC | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME DU LAC | NOTRE DAME, IN | $5,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW Y | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE FRICK COLLECTION | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| SPCA ALBRECHT CENTER FOR ANIMAL WELFARE | AIKEN, SC | $75,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FROST VALLEY YMCA | CLARYVILLE, NY | $63,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE MILLBROOK SCHOOL | MILLBROOK, NY | $43,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| DUTCHESS LAND CONSERVANCY | MILLBROOK, NY | $41,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| LAFAYETTE COLLEGE | EASTON, PA | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HITCHCOCK WOODS FOUNDATION | AIKEN, SC | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TOWN OF RIDGEFIELD | RIDGEFIELD, CT | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PA
$8,000,000GENERAL OPERATING
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME DU LAC
$5,000,000GENERAL OPERATING
GENERAL OPERATING
HARLEM VALLEY RAIL TRAIL ASSOCIATION
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING
NEW YORK CLIMATE EXCHANGE INC
$10,000,000GENERAL OPERATING
THE FRICK COLLECTION
$5,048,750GENERAL OPERATING
NATURE CONSERVANCY
$1,000,000GENERAL OPERATING
SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOC INC
$650,000GENERAL OPERATING
INNISFREE FOUNDATION INC
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ATTN GIFT PLANNING OPERATIONS
$5,000,000GENERAL OPERATING
WETHERSFIELD FOUNDATION INC
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING
WASSAIC PROJECT INC
$200,000GENERAL OPERATING
LAKEVILLE JOURNAL FOUNDATION INC
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
FRICK COLLECTION
$75,000GENERAL OPERATING
HITCHCOCK WOODS FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME DU LAC
$5,000,000GENERAL OPERATING
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW Y
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
THE FRICK COLLECTION
$75,000GENERAL OPERATING
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$75,000GENERAL OPERATING
HITCHCOCK WOODS FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
TOWN OF RIDGEFIELD
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING