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William R Johnson Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

William R Johnson Family Foundation

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.

$268k
Granted FY2025still arriving
29
Grants FY2025still arriving
3
States reached
$26k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Health$455kEducation$377kYouth Development$217kFood & Nutrition$178kHuman Services$146kHousing & Shelter$77kReligion$76kCrime & Legal$68kOther$0
02FY2025 · 29 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k13 grants · $54k
  • $10k–50k16 grants · $214k
$10,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$4.1M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
NICASA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH$26,000
DANNY DID FOUNDATION$22,576
Individual grant recipient$20,000
CARMEL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL$20,000
TOBY KEITH FOUNDATION$15,000
SOUTH SHORE DRILL TEAM$10,000
VINCE LOMBARDI CANCER FOUNDATION$10,000
LOYOLA ACADEMY$10,000
CHRISTMAS STORE OF CLEVELAND CO$10,000
COOL MINISTERIES$10,000
MERCY HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS OF CHICAGO$10,000
CORNERSTONE EDUCATONAL SERVICES$10,000
NIGHT MINISTRY$10,000
OMNI YOUTH SERVICES$10,000
CATHOLIC CHARITIES LAKE COUNTY ILLINOIS$10,000
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 (FY17–25, $200k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 61% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%THE SHARING CENTER: $3k → 10%NIGHT MINISTRY: $10k → 14%NIGHT MINISTRY: $10k → 14%WHEELING HELPING HANDS: $11k → 14%COVENANT HOUSE: $5k → 17%NIGHT MINISTRY: $10k → 14%COVENANT HOUSE: $5k → 17%WHEELING HELPING HANDS: $7k → 14%COVENANT HOUSE: $5k → 17%NIGHT MINISTRY: $10k → 14%WHEELING HELPING HANDS: $5k → 14%NIGHT MINISTRY: $10k → 14%WHEELING HELPING HANDS: $5k → 14%NIGHT MINISTRY: $8k → 14%ELCA OUTREACH CENTER INC: $5k → 10%ELCA OUTREACH CENTER INC: $3k → 10%NIGHT MINISTRY: $8k → 14%ELCA OUTREACH CENTER INC: $3k → 10%WHEELING HELPING HANDS: $2k → 14%NIGHT MINISTRY: $8k → 14%WHEELING HELPING HANDS: $2k → 14%NIGHT MINISTRY: $5k → 14%OMNI YOUTH SERVICES: $15k → 8%OMNI YOUTH SERVICES: $10k → 8%OMNI YOUTH SERVICES: $10k → 8%OMNI YOUTH SERVICES: $8k → 8%OMNI YOUTH SERVICES: $7k → 8%OMNI YOUTH SERVICES: $5k → 8%COOL MINISTERIES: $10k → 8%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

IL
WI
NY
IN
OH
VA
NC
OK
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.

95%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.6M · 34 repeat orgs$83k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +52% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

34 repeat relationships: 23 still active in FY2025, 11 since wound down; 6 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

34
15

Total granted

$1.6M
$60k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+52%
0%

Still filing today

35%
47%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 92% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $23k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesHealthPhilanthropyInternationalAnimalsEmploymentOther
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

  • DD
    DANNY DID FOUNDATION
    9× · 2017–2025 · $142k · revenue +176%
  • THE NIGHT MINISTRY
    9× · 2017–2025 · $78k · revenue +11%
  • FO
    FRANCISCAN OUTREACH
    9× · 2017–2025 · $59k · revenue +134%

Funded once

  • MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC
    one grant, 2023 · $20k · revenue +1%
  • WH
    WORLD HUNGER FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $10k · revenue +106%
  • CF
    CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED
    one grant, 2024 · $7k
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
Covenant House Illinois Inc

In 34 cities across five countries, covenant house builds bridges to hope for young people facing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. we meet their immediate needs for food, clothing, protection, and medical and mental health…

Human Services
2
Lake County Crisis Center

A safe place is the leading advocate for eliminating domestic violence & human trafficking in northern illinois.

—
3
South Suburban Pads

Inter-faith program providing shelter and supportive services to homeless persons. compassion, hospitality and dignity are key characteristics of the pads program.

Human Services
4
Chicago House & Social Service Agency

Provides housing and support services to individuals and families impacted by hiv/aids

Health
5
New Hope House Northwest D/B/a New Hope Community Food Pantry

New hope house northwest is a volunteer-driven food pantry dedicated to providing emergency food assistance to individuals and families in need. the pantry serves chicago's far northwest side, norridge, and harwood heights residents,…

Food & Nutrition
6
Child Link Inc

Child Link provides foster care, family counseling, and therapy services to Chicago area adolescents who are at risk of homelessness. Child Link also refers adolescents to other agencies that are able to provide additional resources and…

Human Services
7
Live Free Chicago

Live Free Illinois is a statewide organization partnering with over 120 congregations and directly impacted individuals to build safer more equitable communities across Illinois. Operating at the intersection of criminal justice reform and…

—
8
Lakeside Community Committee

To enhance the quality of life for children and families by inspiring hope and empowerment and growth within all whom we serve.

Human Services
9
Shelter Inc

Shelter's mission is to end the cycle of child abuse by providing a comprehensive network of support to children, their families, and our community to create safe, health, and nurturing homes.

Housing & Shelter
10
Illinois Animal Welfare Networkers Association
Animals
11
Nourishing Hope

Nourishing hope provides food, mental health support, and social services to help all our neighbors thrive.

—
12
Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation
Human Services
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Night Ministry; the most unlike its peers is Y-Not Project Ltd. 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

24 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. 24 of the 55 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.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
9
Early backer (in before they grew)
22/24
Grantees still filing
16/24
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

NICASA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: $117,000 · OtherNICASA BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARMEL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL: $90,000 · OtherCARMEL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLST JOSEPH SCHOOL: $84,500 · OtherST JOSEPH SCHOOLST JOSEPH CATHOLIC ACADEMY: $83,500 · OtherST JOSEPH CATHOLIC ACADEMYCHRISTIAN OUTREACH FOR LUTHERANS: $80,000 · OtherCHRISTIAN OUTREACH FOR LUTHERANSFRATERNITE NOTRE DAME INC: $75,000 · OtherFRATERNITE NOTRE DAME INCCATHOLIC CHARITIES LAKE COUNTY ILLINOIS: $70,000 · OtherCATHOLIC CHARITIES LAKE COUNTY ILLINOISSOUTH SHORE DRILL TEAM: $68,000 · OtherSOUTH SHORE DRILL TEAMLOYOLA ACADEMY: $62,500 · OtherFRANCISCAN OUTREACH: $59,000 · OtherMERCY HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS OF CHICAGO: $55,000 · OtherLIV FOR A CURE: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $40,500 · Other+22 more: $273,000 · Other+22 moreDANNY DID FOUNDATION: $141,876 · HealthDANNY DID FOUN…ILLINOIS FIRE SAFETY ALLIANCE: $58,000 · HealthILLINOIS FIRE …Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the United States Inc: $10,000 · Health+2 more: $3,000 · HealthTHE NIGHT MINISTRY: $77,500 · Human ServicesTHE NIGHT MIN…OMNI YOUTH SERVICES INCORPORATED: $54,000 · Human ServicesOMNI YOUTH SE…WHEELING HELPING HANDS: $30,285 · Human ServicesWHEELING HELP…COVENANT HOUSE: $15,000 · Human ServicesCOVENANT HOUS…ELCA OUTREACH CENTER: $10,500 · Human ServicesCOOL MINISTRIES: $10,000 · Human Services+1 more: $2,500 · Human ServicesTHE TOBY KEITH FOUNDATION INC: $40,000 · Philanthropy+1 more: $500 · PhilanthropyMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $20,000 · InternationalWORLD HUNGER FOUNDATION: $10,000 · InternationalTHE HELPING PAW PROJECT INC: $5,000 · AnimalsCanines 4 Comfort: $2,500 · AnimalsCODE PLATOON NFP: $5,000 · EmploymentOPERATION HELO INC: $2,500 · Public Safety & Disaster
Other$1,208,000Health$212,876Human Services$199,785Philanthropy$40,500International$30,000Animals$7,500Employment$5,000Public Safety & Disaster$2,500

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetDANNY DID FOUNDATION: $141,876 over 9y, 1.6% of budgetTHE NIGHT MINISTRY: $77,500 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetFRANCISCAN OUTREACH: $59,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetILLINOIS FIRE SAFETY ALLIANCE: $58,000 over 9y, 1.0% of budgetOMNI YOUTH SERVICES INCORPORATED: $54,000 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetTHE TOBY KEITH FOUNDATION INC: $40,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetVince Lombardi Cancer Foundation Inc: $40,000 over 5y, 6.1% of budgetNICASA NFP: $30,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOVENANT HOUSE: $15,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetELCA OUTREACH CENTER: $10,500 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetPediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the United States Inc: $10,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetWORLD HUNGER FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetCOOL MINISTRIES: $10,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetCODE PLATOON NFP: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE HELPING PAW PROJECT INC: $5,000 over 2y, 1.5% of budgetLIVE 4 LALI INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCanines 4 Comfort: $2,500 over 1y, 3.1% of budgetMaristella: $2,500 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetOPERATION HELO INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLUPUS RESEARCH ALLIANCE INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% 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.

  • Who funds DANNY DID FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds THE NIGHT MINISTRY ↗
  • Who funds FRANCISCAN OUTREACH ↗
  • Who funds ILLINOIS FIRE SAFETY ALLIANCE ↗
  • Who funds OMNI YOUTH SERVICES INCORPORATED ↗
  • Who funds THE TOBY KEITH FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds WHEELING HELPING HANDS ↗
  • Who funds NICASA NFP ↗
  • Who funds MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC ↗
  • Who funds COVENANT HOUSE ↗
  • Who funds ELCA OUTREACH CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the United States Inc ↗
  • Who funds WORLD HUNGER FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds COOL MINISTRIES ↗
  • Who funds CODE PLATOON NFP ↗
  • Who funds THE HELPING PAW PROJECT INC ↗

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.

AbbVie FoundationMotorola Solutions Fo…Baxter International …The Blackbaud Giving …Helen V Brach Foundat…Trustmark FoundationUnited Way of Metropo…Arthur J Gallagher Fo…The Chicago Community…United Way WorldwideThe Pfizer Foundation…Baird Foundation Inc
AbbVie FoundationIL24.2× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: AbbVie Foundation · Motorola Solutions Foundation · Baxter International Foundation · The Blackbaud Giving Fund · Helen V Brach Foundation · Trustmark Foundation · United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc · Arthur J Gallagher Foundation · The Chicago Community Trust · United Way Worldwide · The Pfizer Foundation Inc · Baird Foundation Inc

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 William R Johnson Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from William R Johnson Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%10%20%30%40%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    5report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–40%
    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.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to William R Johnson Family Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to William R Johnson Family Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    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 55 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on William R Johnson Family’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