The foundation appears to concentrate its philanthropy on faith-based higher education, providing large-scale institutional support. Its sole recorded grant — a single $1.5M unrestricted gift to Westmont College — suggests a preference for supporting Christian liberal arts colleges in California and for funding general operating needs rather than restricted programs.
Highly concentrated: a single, large unrestricted grant to one institution (flagship/core support) rather than many small or distributed grants.
Roy G and Naomi Harmon Johnston Family Foundation’s recent record is anchored by a $1.5 million general grant to Westmont College, signaling support for Christian liberal arts higher education at a meaningful scale. The foundation’s other sizable gifts reinforce that pattern: Fuller Seminary received $56,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and Pasadena Covenant Church received $30,000 in 2023 and $25,000 in 2024 for its capital campaign. That mix points to a funder that supports faith-based institutions through both unrestricted and campaign-specific funding. The grant list also shows attention to California-based organizations such as Centro Hispano De Estudios Teologicos, Peterson Water Foundation, Center Stage, and We Encourage, alongside a smaller number of grants outside California. The foundation appears to favor institutional support over individual assistance and works through grants rather than program-related investments. Its giving profile combines a single large flagship award with a broader set of modest general grants, suggesting a portfolio built around core operating support for churches, seminaries, colleges, and related community organizations.
Christian higher education is central to the foundation’s giving. Westmont College received $1.5 million for general support, and Fuller Seminary received $56,000 in 2023 and again in 2024, both as general grants. That pairing shows sustained support for faith-based academic institutions rather than one-off program funding. The foundation also backs church and ministry infrastructure: Pasadena Covenant Church received $30,000 in 2023 and $25,000 in 2024 for its capital campaign. Smaller grants extend into related educational and religious work, including $15,000 to Centro Hispano De Estudios Teologicos in Compton and $3,500 to William Carey Heritage Foundation in Colorado Springs. Across these awards, the pattern is consistent: support for institutions that educate, form, or serve Christian communities.
Grant size is highly skewed. The typical grant is $1,875 at the 25th percentile, $2,500 at the median, and $7,500 at the 75th percentile, even though the annual total is shaped by a much larger flagship award. The grant list shows repeat recipients across multiple years, including Fuller Seminary in 2023 and 2024 and Pasadena Covenant Church in 2023 and 2024, which indicates recurring support rather than strictly one-time giving. The foundation is structured as a family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Grants in the list are predominantly general support, with a smaller number tied to capital campaigns.
$1.8M
$1.2M
$169K
$1.6M
Most grants fall between $2K and $8K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$8K
About 25% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: Westmont College
The foundation gives nationally, but California receives the largest share of grants, with 25% of awards going to recipients in the HQ state. Santa Barbara, Pasadena, Compton, Sacramento, Monrovia, and Altadena all appear in the recipient list, showing a strong California footprint. Outside California, grants reach Minneapolis, Fairfield, Skowhegan, Madison, Chicago, New York, Colorado Springs, and Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Every recorded grant in the data goes to a U.S. recipient.
Its grants are concentrated in faith-based higher education and related institutions. The recent list includes Westmont College, Fuller Seminary, Pasadena Covenant Church, Centro Hispano De Estudios Teologicos, and William Carey Heritage Foundation, with several awards marked as general support.
Yes. Fuller Seminary received $56,000 in 2023 and $56,000 in 2024. Pasadena Covenant Church also received repeat support, with $30,000 in 2023 and $25,000 in 2024 for its capital campaign.
The distribution is small at the center: p25 is $1,875, the median is $2,500, and p75 is $7,500. Those figures sit alongside a much larger $1.5 million gift that drives the overall scale of giving.
California is the top state by grant count, with 25% of grants going to recipients there. Recent California recipients include Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Fuller Seminary and Pasadena Covenant Church in Pasadena, Centro Hispano De Estudios Teologicos in Compton, and We Encourage in Altadena.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WESTMONT COLLEGE | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $1,500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SATSUSA | MAYAGUEZ, PR | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL 1ST NATIONS KITCHEN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $8,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SKOWHEGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | SKOWHEGAN, ME | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF MINNEAPOLIS-UPTOWN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MAIN STREET | SKOWHEGAN, ME | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WILLIAM CAREY HERITAGE FOUNDATION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PETERSON WATER FOUNDATION | SACRAMENTO, CA | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GREEN CARD VOICES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FUTSAL SOCIETY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CENTER STAGE | MONROVIA, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KENNEBEC MONTESSORI SCHOOL | FAIRFIELD, ME | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FEAT NETWORK | FALMOUTH, ME | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SKOWHEGAN MIDDLE SCHOOL | SKOWHEGAN, ME | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GENDER JUSTICE | SAINT PAUL, MN | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FULLER SEMINARY | PASADENA, CA | $56,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| PASADENA COVENANT CHURCH | PASADENA, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| CENTRO HISPANO DE ESTUDIOS TEOLOGICOS | COMPTON, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| JIM BROWNE FOUNDATION | MADISON, ME | $9,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| KENNEBEC MONTESSORI SCHOOL | FAIRFIELD, ME | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF MINNEAPOLIS-UPTOWN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $4,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| OUR STREETS MINNEAPOLIS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $4,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL 1ST NATIONS KITCHEN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $3,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH | CHICAGO, IL | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CITY BUREAU DOCUMENTERS | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| PASADENA YOUNG LIFE | PASADENA, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM | WATERVILLE, ME | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SAHAN JOURNAL | SAINT PAUL, MN | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| STATES NEWSROOM | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| WE ENCOURAGE | ALTADENA, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| MAIN STREET | SKOWHEGAN, ME | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| PASADENA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| RECLAIM | SAINT PAUL, MN | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| COMO ZOO FOUNDATION | SAINT PAUL, MN | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| WINTER KIDS EDUCATION FOUNDATION | PORTLAND, ME | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FULLER SEMINARY | PASADENA, CA | $56,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| PASADENA COVENANT CHURCH | PASADENA, CA | $30,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| KENNEBEC MONTESSORI SCHOOL | FAIRFIELD, ME | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| COLECTIVA BILINGUE | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| CENTRO HISPANO DE ESTUDIOS TEOLOGICOS | COMPTON, CA | $7,500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| JIM BROWNE FOUNDATION | MADISON, ME | $7,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| THE BRIDGE FOR YOUTH | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| OUR STREETS MINNEAPOLIS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| MAIN STREET | HOUSTON, TX | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF ROBERTS BIRD SANCTUARY | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| FAMILY TREE CLINIC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| DONORS CHOOSE | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
WESTMONT COLLEGE
$1,500,000GENERAL
SATSUSA
$15,000GENERAL
ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL 1ST NATIONS KITCHEN
$8,000GENERAL
SKOWHEGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
$7,500GENERAL
YWCA OF MINNEAPOLIS-UPTOWN
$5,500GENERAL
MAIN STREET
$5,000GENERAL
WILLIAM CAREY HERITAGE FOUNDATION
GENERAL
PETERSON WATER FOUNDATION
$3,000GENERAL
GREEN CARD VOICES
$2,500GENERAL
FUTSAL SOCIETY
$2,500GENERAL
CENTER STAGE
$2,500GENERAL
KENNEBEC MONTESSORI SCHOOL
$2,000GENERAL
FEAT NETWORK
$500GENERAL
SKOWHEGAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
$500GENERAL
GENDER JUSTICE
$500GENERAL
FULLER SEMINARY
$56,000GENERAL
PASADENA COVENANT CHURCH
$25,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
CENTRO HISPANO DE ESTUDIOS TEOLOGICOS
$15,000GENERAL
JIM BROWNE FOUNDATION
$9,000GENERAL
KENNEBEC MONTESSORI SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL
YWCA OF MINNEAPOLIS-UPTOWN
$4,000GENERAL
OUR STREETS MINNEAPOLIS
$4,000GENERAL
ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL 1ST NATIONS KITCHEN
$3,500GENERAL
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$2,500GENERAL
EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
$2,500GENERAL
CITY BUREAU DOCUMENTERS
$2,000GENERAL
PASADENA YOUNG LIFE
$2,000GENERAL
KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM
$2,000GENERAL
SAHAN JOURNAL
$2,000GENERAL
STATES NEWSROOM
$2,000GENERAL
WE ENCOURAGE
$2,000GENERAL
MAIN STREET
$2,000GENERAL
PASADENA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL
RECLAIM
$500GENERAL
COMO ZOO FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL
WINTER KIDS EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL
FULLER SEMINARY
$56,000GENERAL
PASADENA COVENANT CHURCH
$30,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
KENNEBEC MONTESSORI SCHOOL
$10,000GENERAL
COLECTIVA BILINGUE
$10,000GENERAL
CENTRO HISPANO DE ESTUDIOS TEOLOGICOS
$7,500GENERAL
JIM BROWNE FOUNDATION
$7,000GENERAL
THE BRIDGE FOR YOUTH
$5,000GENERAL
OUR STREETS MINNEAPOLIS
$1,500GENERAL
MAIN STREET
$1,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF ROBERTS BIRD SANCTUARY
$1,000GENERAL
FAMILY TREE CLINIC
$500GENERAL
DONORS CHOOSE
$500GENERAL