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Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main at a glance

· Private foundation

Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$20M
Granted FY2024still arriving
8
Grants FY2024still arriving
5
States reached
$10M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead

Read this first · the figures below need context

51% of Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main’s FY2025 grant dollars went to Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania, not to grantees.

Its money now reaches organizations through that sponsor, which does not report who recommended each grant. FY2025 names 5 organizations directly, so a portfolio cannot be read from it. Everything below is therefore FY2024, the last year Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main named its own grantees at scale: 7 organizations, $20M. It is dated, not current.

Organizations named directly on the return

8
’18
10
’19
9
’20
9
’21
7
’22
13
’23
7
’24
5
’25

Amber years are those where most dollars went to a sponsor.

01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2025.

Education$40MArts & Culture$28MEnvironment$13MRecreation & Sports$950kYouth Development$366kAnimals$350kPhilanthropy$350kEmployment$250kOther$0
02FY2024 · 8 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • $50k–250k3 grants · $300k
  • $250k+5 grants · $20M
$1,000,000
Median grant
5
States reached
$70M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
NEW YORK CLIMATE EXCHANGE INC$10,000,000
THE FRICK COLLECTION$5,048,750
METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION INC$3,000,000
NATURE CONSERVANCY$1,000,000
SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOC INC$650,000
INNISFREE FOUNDATION INC$100,000
BERKSHIRE OPERA FESTIVAL$100,000
ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER TRUST INC$100,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–23, $196k) land where the poverty rate runs at 16%, against an area that typically sits at 13%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 13%FROST VALLEY YMCA: $100k → 16%FROST VALLEY YMCA: $63k → 16%FROST VALLEY YMCA: $33k → 16%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
NY
MA
IN
PA
CT
RI
VA
SC
AL
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

76%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$44M · 16 repeat orgs$14M to everyone else

16 repeat relationships: 2 still active in FY2024, 14 since wound down; 8 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call). Read against FY2024, the last year this funder named its own grantees directly; its giving has since run through a sponsor, which reports no donor behind each grant.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

16
12

Total granted

$44M
$1.6M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+38%
+67%

Still filing today

81%
58%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 88% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $1.5M went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureEducationEnvironmentRecreation & SportsAnimalsHuman ServicesOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • Metropolitan Opera Association Inc
    3× · 2023–2025 · $20M · revenue +0%
  • UO
    University of Miami
    2× · 2023–2025 · $14M · revenue +19%
  • TF
    The Frick Collection
    7× · 2018–2024 · $5.5M · revenue +44%

Funded once

  • SH
    SHARON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
    one grant, 2021 · $366k
  • PW
    PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN INCgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $366k · revenue +25%
  • AT
    AIKEN TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $250k · revenue +196% · 60% of their budget
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
New York Botanical Garden

The new york botanical garden is a museum of plants and a scientific research center devoted to the study of plants and their uses. it is the garden's mission to improve public understanding of the natural world, horticulture, and the…

Environment
2
The Pierpont Morgan Library

The Morgan Library & Museum celebrates and shares the history and process of human creativity from antiquity to the present day through the preservation, study, and interpretation of a dynamic and growing collection.

Education
3
American Museum of Natural History

The museum's mission statement is: "to discover, interpret, and disseminate - through scientific research and education - knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe."

Arts & Culture
4
The Trustees of Princeton University

Research, education and general - princeton university is a private not-for-profit, non-sectarian institution of higher learning with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students. 2,500 students graduated in the 2024-2025…

Education
5
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

Education
6
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The mission of mit is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.

Education
7
Wamc

Wamc is chartered by the new york state board of regents to "furnish, prepare and present non-profit and non-commercial educational, instructional and cultural radio programs and also non-profit and non-commercial programs (wamc's mission…

Arts & Culture
8
The Jewish Museum

The mission of the jewish museum is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret art and jewish culture. see schedule o for more information.

Arts & Culture
9
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
10
The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences

The mission of the brooklyn institute of arts and sciences, d/b/a brooklyn museum (the "museum") is to bring people together through art and experiences that inspire celebration, compassion, courage, and the will to act. (see schedule o).

Arts & Culture
11
Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art is a private, non-profit institution chartered by the State of New York Department of Education in 1929 to foster public awareness of modern and contemporary art. (Continued in Schedule O)

Arts & Culture
12
Manhattanville University

To educate students to be ethical and socially responsible leaders in a global community.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Partnership With Children Inc; the most unlike its peers is Innisfree Foundation Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

32 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 32 of the 40 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
8
Early backer (in before they grew)
32/32
Grantees still filing
22/32
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

University of Miami: $14,150,000 · EducationUniversity of MiamiUniversity of Notre Dame du Lac: $10,000,000 · EducationUniversity of Notre Dame du LacTRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA: $8,000,000 · EducationTRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIATHE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK: $5,250,000 · EducationTHE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW…MILLBROOK SCHOOL: $1,679,000 · Education+4 more: $513,000 · EducationMetropolitan Opera Association Inc: $20,000,000 · Arts & CultureMetropolitan Opera Associatio…MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM INC: $1,000,000 · Arts & Culture+5 more: $566,000 · Arts & CultureTHE NEW YORK CLIMATE EXCHANGE INC: $10,000,000 · EnvironmentTHE NEW YORK CL…DUTCHESS LAND CONSERVANCY INC: $1,189,000 · EnvironmentDUTCHESS LAND C…+4 more: $460,000 · EnvironmentThe Frick Collection: $5,498,750 · OtherThe Frick Co…THE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $1,175,000 · OtherTHE NATURE C…SALISBURY WINTER SPORTS ASSOC INC: $650,000 · OtherSALISBURY WI…METROPOLITAN OPERA: $375,000 · OtherSHARON HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $366,000 · OtherPARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN INC: $366,000 · Other+8 more: $620,000 · Other+8 moreSPCA ALBRECHT CENTER FOR ANIMAL WELFARE: $325,000 · AnimalsHARLEM VALLEY RAIL TRAIL ASSOCIATIO: $250,000 · Recreation & SportsCENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY INC: $50,000 · Recreation & SportsFROST VALLEY YMCA: $196,000 · Human Services
Education$39,592,000Arts & Culture$21,566,000Environment$11,649,000Other$9,050,750Animals$325,000Recreation & Sports$300,000Human Services$196,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetMetropolitan Opera Association Inc: $20,000,000 over 3y, 4.0% of budgetUniversity of Miami: $14,150,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetUniversity of Notre Dame du Lac: $10,000,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetTHE NEW YORK CLIMATE EXCHANGE INC: $10,000,000 over 1y, 9.0% of budgetTRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA: $8,000,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetThe Frick Collection: $5,498,750 over 7y, 4.6% of budgetTHE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK: $5,250,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetMILLBROOK SCHOOL: $1,679,000 over 6y, 4.5% of budgetDUTCHESS LAND CONSERVANCY INC: $1,189,000 over 6y, 24% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $1,175,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetPARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN INC: $366,000 over 1y, 3.1% of budgetSPCA ALBRECHT CENTER FOR ANIMAL WELFARE: $325,000 over 5y, 3.2% of budgetHARLEM VALLEY RAIL TRAIL ASSOCIATIO: $250,000 over 1y, 31% of budgetAIKEN TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION: $250,000 over 1y, 60% of budgetWETHERSFIELD FOUNDATION INC: $250,000 over 1y, 12% of budgetTeach for America Inc: $250,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLAFAYETTE COLLEGE: $225,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTHE WASSAIC PROJECT INC: $200,000 over 1y, 13% of budgetFROST VALLEY YMCA: $196,000 over 3y, 0.8% of budgetHITCHCOCK WOODS FOUNDATION THE: $150,000 over 6y, 3.4% of budgetBERKSHIRE OPERA FESTIVAL INC: $100,000 over 1y, 12% of budgetLJMN Media Inc: $100,000 over 1y, 6.0% of budgetINNISFREE FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 over 1y, 7.9% of budgetADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER TRUST INC: $100,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetNEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO: $66,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY INC: $50,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetWESTPORT LAND CONSERVATION TRUST INC: $50,000 over 2y, 2.7% of budgetHOTCHKISS LIBRARY OF SHARON INC: $33,000 over 1y, 7.7% of budgetTHE LONGLEAF ALLIANCE INC: $10,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetFRIEND MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY: $5,000 over 1y, 3.1% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Berkshire Taconic Com…Thanksgiving Foundati…The Offensend Family …Ibm International Fou…American Endowment Fo…Vanguard Charitable E…National Philanthropi…Morgan Stanley Global…Donor Advised Charita…Charities Aid Foundat…The Bank of America C…Fidelity Investments …
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation IncMA25.8× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc · Thanksgiving Foundation Bessemer Trust Company Na · The Offensend Family Foundation · Ibm International Foundation · American Endowment Foundation · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · National Philanthropic Trust · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Charities Aid Foundation America · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 40%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →median 5%
  • University of Miami: 5% of income from government
  • Mystic Seaport Museum Inc: 5% of income from government
  • Adrienne Arsht Center Trust Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
4get no government money at all
9report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 40 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home