The Carl W Johnson Foundation concentrates its philanthropic activity exclusively on a single recipient, providing repeated general operating support to New Directions. Its giving is local and focused on funding organizational capacity rather than project-specific work. The foundation appears to act as a dedicated backer of this one nonprofit rather than distributing grants across multiple causes or regions.
Highly concentrated: all recorded giving goes to one organization through multiple grants, providing repeat, unrestricted general support rather than diversified or project-specific funding.
Notable grantees: New Directions
Carl W Johnson Foundation stands out for its sustained support of a single nonprofit: New Directions received the foundation’s largest recent grant at $100,000 in 2025, after $60,000 awards in both 2024 and 2023. That repeated pattern suggests a long-running relationship rather than occasional project support. The foundation also extends general operating grants to a small set of California organizations, including Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, California State University Long Beach, Chrysalis, Canine Companions for Independence, and The Painted Turtle. Its giving is local and overwhelmingly centered in California, with grants that appear to favor organizational capacity and flexible support over restricted program awards. The public record of recent grants shows a mix of social services, education, health, and community support organizations, but the throughline is consistency: the foundation returns to the same grantees across multiple years and keeps most of its grantmaking close to home. That makes it a funder best understood through continuity, not breadth.
General operating support is a defining feature of the Carl W Johnson Foundation’s grantmaking. New Directions received $100,000 in 2025 and $60,000 in both 2024 and 2023, all labeled general support. The foundation also gave $50,000 to Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in 2024 and another $50,000 in 2025, again as general support. Education appears in the portfolio through California State University Long Beach, which received $50,000 in 2023, $50,000 in 2024, and $50,000 in 2025. Health-related giving is visible in awards to Children's Hospital Los Angeles Foundation for $25,000 in 2023 and 2024, and $30,000 in 2025, as well as $25,000 annual grants to City of Hope from 2023 through 2025.
Typical grants sit in the mid-five-figure range: p25 is $10,000, median is $17,500, and p75 is $28,750. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, especially New Directions, California State University Long Beach, and City of Hope, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation gives general support frequently, and the latest 990 file is for 2025. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$450K
$3.8M
$834K
$652K
Most grants fall between $10K and $29K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$29K
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Grantmaking is highly concentrated in California, which accounts for 94% of grants in the HQ state and is also the top state by grant count. Recipient locations in the recent list cluster around Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Berkeley, Santa Rosa, and Culver City. Outside California, there is one recent grant to Hearing Health Foundation in New York, NY. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The recent grants list shows support for social service, education, health, and community organizations. Examples include New Directions for general support, California State University Long Beach for general support in three consecutive years, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles Foundation for general support in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Yes. New Directions received $100,000 in 2025 and $60,000 in both 2024 and 2023. California State University Long Beach received $50,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025, while City of Hope received $25,000 in each of those same three years.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $17,500 at the median, and $28,750 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include several $25,000, $30,000, $50,000, and $60,000 grants.
Its giving is concentrated in California. The data shows 94% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and California is also the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Berkeley, Santa Rosa, and Culver City.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW DIRECTIONS | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $80,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| THE PAINTED TURTLE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH | LONG BEACH, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK | E ST STREET, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY (GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION) | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PASADENA HUMANE | PASADENA, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CITY OF HOPE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HEARING HEALTH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HOLLENBECK PALMS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE | SANTA ROSA, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| THE ACHIEVABLE FOUNDATION | CULVER CITY, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CHRYSALIS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES HABILITATION HOUSE | LONG BEACH, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| TAKING THE REINS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SEAL BEACH SWIM CLUB | SEAL BEACH, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| NEW DIRECTIONS | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH | LONG BEACH, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CHRYSALIS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE | SANTA ROSA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE PAINTED TURTLE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK | E ST STREET, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CITY OF HOPE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOLLENBECK PALMS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GREATER LOS ANGELES ZOO ASSOCIATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HEARING HEALTH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERALGENERALGENERAL |
| THE ACHIEVABLE FOUNDATION | CULVER CITY, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES HABILITATION HOUSE | LONG BEACH, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SEAL BEACH SWIM CLUB | SEAL BEACH, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TAKING THE REINS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NEW DIRECTIONS | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $60,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK | E ST STREET, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH | LONG BEACH, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING | BERKELEY, CA | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| THE PAINTED TURTLE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CITY OF HOPE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOLLENBECK PALMS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| THE ACHIEVABLE FOUNDATION | CULVER CITY, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE | SANTA ROSA, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| GREATER LOS ANGELES ZOO ASSOCIATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $12,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HEARING HEALTH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERALGENERALGENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES HABILITATION HOUSE | LONG BEACH, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CHRYSALIS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $7,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TAKING THE REINS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SEAL BEACH SWIM CLUB | SEAL BEACH, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NEW DIRECTIONS | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $60,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
NEW DIRECTIONS
$80,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY (GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION)
$30,000GENERAL
GENERAL
PASADENA HUMANE
$25,000GENERAL
CITY OF HOPE
$25,000GENERAL
LOS ANGELES HABILITATION HOUSE
$10,000GENERAL
SEAL BEACH SWIM CLUB
$5,000GENERAL
NEW DIRECTIONS
$100,000GENERAL
CHRYSALIS
$50,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY
$30,000GENERAL
CITY OF HOPE
$25,000GENERAL
LOS ANGELES HABILITATION HOUSE
$10,000GENERAL
SEAL BEACH SWIM CLUB
$5,000GENERAL
NEW DIRECTIONS
$60,000GENERAL
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
$40,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE OBSERVATORY
$30,000GENERAL
CITY OF HOPE
$25,000GENERAL
LOS ANGELES HABILITATION HOUSE
$10,000GENERAL
SEAL BEACH SWIM CLUB
$5,000GENERAL
NEW DIRECTIONS
$60,000GENERAL