The Willard T.C. Johnson Foundation makes relatively few but very large grants focused largely in the New York–New Jersey region, blending health research and mental health, urban park/landscape conservation and the arts, and targeted education supports. Recipients are a mix of repeated core partners (e.g., child health, urban park stewardship, lupus research) and high-profile cultural/environmental institutions, suggesting a philanthropic strategy that favors place-based civic amenities and family-linked medical research. Grants tend to be unrestricted or program-support sized gifts to established nonprofits rather than many small awards to startups.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of repeat and flagship organizations in the NY–NJ area; emphasis on multi-grant relationships and institution-building rather than many small, one-off awards.
The Willard Tc Johnson Foundation Inc C/o the Johnson Company makes a small number of large general-support grants, with recent awards reaching $1.72 million to The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey and $1.16 million to the Lupus Research Alliance Inc. That pattern points to a funder that backs established organizations with substantial, flexible support rather than many smaller project grants. In the recent record, the foundation’s giving connects health research, land stewardship, and cultural institutions across New York and New Jersey, while also extending to select education and human-services organizations. Repeated grants to the Lupus Research Alliance Inc, Central Park Conservancy, and The Johnson Center for Child Health & Development show ongoing relationships with core partners. Other sizable awards have gone to Grounds for Sculpture, Trinity Counseling Services, and Princeton Symphony Orchestra, indicating an interest in both civic amenities and mission-specific nonprofits. The foundation’s portfolio also includes grants for food access, neuro-AI research, and a New York charter school network, which broadens the picture beyond a single issue area. Across those awards, general support is the dominant grant type, reinforcing a flexible funding style.
Health research is a clear thread in the foundation’s grant record. It gave $1,160,000 to Lupus Research Alliance Inc for general support in 2025, after a $750,000 award in 2023 and a $250,000 award in 2024. Pediatric and child health work also appears through The Johnson Center for Child Health and Development, which received $600,000 in 2024 for general support and $600,000 in 2023 for general support. Environmental stewardship is another recurring area: The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey received $1,722,782 in 2023 for general support, and The Montana Land Reliance received $100,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2024. Cultural support shows up in grants to Grounds for Sculpture and Princeton Symphony Orchestra, both funded with general support.
The grant-size profile is large: p25 is $50,000, median grant size is $100,000, and p75 is $255,000. The recent record shows repeated support for some organizations across multiple years, including Lupus Research Alliance Inc, Central Park Conservancy, Deerfield Academy, The Johnson Center for Child Health & Development, Broward Performing Arts Foundation Inc, and The Montana Land Reliance. Most awards are general support, and the foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The pattern is consistent with a family-style private foundation making flexible operating or general-purpose grants to established nonprofits.
$4.2M
$47.5M
$5.6M
$4.4M
Most grants fall between $50K and $255K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$255K
About 25% of grants go to recipients in NJ.
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Notable grantees: Lupus Research Alliance, Central Park Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey, Grounds for Sculpture, The Johnson Center for Child Health & Development
Grantmaking is concentrated in the United States, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. New York appears frequently, including recipients in New York City and Florham Park, while New Jersey also shows up often through Chester, Hamilton, Princeton, Florham Park, and Edison. The record also reaches beyond the core region to Austin, Texas; Deerfield, Massachusetts; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Helena, Montana; Boise, Idaho; Oakland, California; and West Palm Beach, Florida. The top state by grant count is New York, and 30% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state.
The record centers on established nonprofits receiving general support. Health research groups such as Lupus Research Alliance Inc and The Johnson Center for Child Health & Development appear alongside park and land stewardship organizations, including Central Park Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey. The foundation also supports arts, education, and human-services organizations.
The distribution is large relative to many foundations: p25 is $50,000, median grant size is $100,000, and p75 is $255,000. Recent awards also include several six-figure and seven-figure grants, such as $1,722,782 to The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey and $1,160,000 to Lupus Research Alliance Inc.
Yes. The recent grant list shows repeat support for several organizations across multiple years, including Lupus Research Alliance Inc, Central Park Conservancy, Deerfield Academy, The Johnson Center for Child Health & Development, Broward Performing Arts Foundation Inc, and The Montana Land Reliance.
It does not fund individuals and it does not make program-related investments. The recent pattern instead shows direct grants to nonprofit organizations, usually listed as general support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUPUS RESEARCH ALLIANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,160,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE | HAMILTON, NJ | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DEERFIELD ACADEMY | DEERFIELD, MA | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRINCETON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | PRINCETON, NJ | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| 10000 BRAINS NEURO AI INC | OAKLAND, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTER AT 353 | PRINCETON, NJ | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MONTANA LAND RELIANCE | HELENA, MT | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BROWARD PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION INC | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PEREGRINE FUND | BOISE, ID | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OTHRONATIONS | FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE RWJ UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PALM BEACH COUNTY FOOD BANK | LAKE WORTH, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| URBAN YOUTH IMPACT | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PLACE OF HOPE | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST PETERS ORPHANAGE | DENVILLE, NJ | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE JOHNSON CENTER FOR CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT | AUSTIN, TX | $600,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUCCESS ACADEMY CHARTER SHCOOLS | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRINITY COUNSELING SERVICES | PRINCETON, NJ | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $255,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LUPUS RESEARCH ALLIANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREAT OAKS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DEERFIELD ACADEMY | DEERFIELD, MA | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OXBRIDGE ACADEMY | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $150,000 | 2024 | GENEAL SUPPORT |
| ASPEN VLLEY SKI & SNOWBOARD CLUB | ASPEN, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PEREGRINE FUND | BOISE, ID | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MONTANA LAND RELIANCE | HELENA, MT | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BROWARD PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION INC | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HISTORIC MORVEN INC | PRINCETON, NJ | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRESERVATION FOUNDATION OF PALM BEACH | PALM BEACH, FL | $86,318 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE RWJ UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE SOCIETY OF MSK | NEW YORK, NY | $47,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PALM BEACH POLICE & FIRE FOUNDATION | PALM BEACH, FL | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NOURISH NEW JERSEY | MORRISTOWN, NJ | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK REP | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PLACE OF HOPE | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARM IN ARM | HAMILTON, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| URBAN YOUTH IMPACT | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN NEW JERSEY | CHESTER, NJ | $1,722,782 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LUPUS RESEARCH ALLIANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $750,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE JOHNSON CENTER FOR CHILD HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT | AUSTIN, TX | $600,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRINITY COUNSELING SERVICE | PRINCETON, NJ | $370,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK JETS FOUNDATION | FLORHAM PARK, NJ | $243,868 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MIDDLESEX COUNTY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | EDISON, NJ | $150,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $138,350 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DEERFIELD ACADEMY | DEERFIELD, MA | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS PALM BEACH & TREASURE COAST CHAPTER | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
LUPUS RESEARCH ALLIANCE INC
$1,160,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PRINCETON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
10000 BRAINS NEURO AI INC
GENERAL SUPPORT
CENTER AT 353
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OTHRONATIONS
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST PETERS ORPHANAGE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE JOHNSON CENTER FOR CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
$600,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SUCCESS ACADEMY CHARTER SHCOOLS
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TRINITY COUNSELING SERVICES
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GREAT OAKS FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OXBRIDGE ACADEMY
$150,000GENEAL SUPPORT
HISTORIC MORVEN INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE SOCIETY OF MSK
$47,500GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW YORK REP
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE JOHNSON CENTER FOR CHILD HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT
$600,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TRINITY COUNSELING SERVICE
$370,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW YORK JETS FOUNDATION
$243,868GENERAL SUPPORT
MIDDLESEX COUNTY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN RED CROSS PALM BEACH & TREASURE COAST CHAPTER
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT