How the Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Foundation Gives in the Bay Area
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SFMOMA has received millions from the family. Photo: EQRoy/shutterstock
Of the many charitable couples based in the Bay Area of California, one couple we haven’t covered in too much detail yet are Rupert and Maryellie Johnson. Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. is the vice chairman of Franklin Resources, an American multinational holding company and global investment firm that dates back to 1947.
The Johnsons move their philanthropy through the Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Foundation, which is based in San Mateo and focuses its giving on San Francisco and the broader Bay Area region. Note that the foundation does not have a website. Here’s what we know about the Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Foundation right now.
Education is the top interest
Most of this foundation’s giving is centered on higher education, but other K-12 education grantees commonly receive its support as well. Many large donations go to Rupert’s alma mater, Washington and Lee University, as well as to Maryellie’s alma maters, Radcliffe College and Harvard University. Beyond the founding couple’s own personal affiliations, the foundation also supports underprivileged students in the Bay Area through grants to the BASIC Fund and other local groups focused on younger students.
The arts receive support as well
Maryellie Johnson is a local artist who has been deeply involved in the local arts community. She studied the creative arts in school, and her husband has worked closely with the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
Recent arts funding includes grants to the California College of the Arts, the San Francisco Traditional Jazz Foundation and the San Francisco Symphony. The foundation also awards grants to cultural institutions in the region and beyond, such as the San Francisco Zoological Society and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Grants mostly stay in the Bay Area
Although a few grants in each cycle go to national groups based in the Washington, D.C. area or sometimes New York City, almost all Johnson grantmaking takes place in Northern California. Bay Area-based grantees that don’t fall into the categories of education or the arts, as noted above, include the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Jumpstart for Young Children and the First Tee of San Francisco.
Unsolicited requests are welcome
The Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Foundation is primarily a general operating support funder and awards grants ranging all the way from $500 to $500,000. Although it maintains a low public profile, it is an accessible funder that welcomes unsolicited grant applications from Bay Area groups.
There are no specific application forms, deadlines, or restrictions or limitations on awards. Simply submit standard application materials and supporting documentation to Rupert Johnson’s attention via mail to be considered for a grant. Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. serves as the sole trustee of the foundation, and there appear to be no additional officers, board members or employees.
More information about the Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. Foundation can be found in IP’s full Bay Area and NorCal funding guide profile.
