George R Johnson Family Foundation
Cleveland, TN · EIN 62-6401641. Reported 339 grants totalling $8,297,223 to 134 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. George R Johnson Family Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $15,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $25,000; the smallest was $2,000 and the largest $190,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Ocoee Region | Cleveland, TN | $890,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| YMCA | Chattanooga, TN | $575,000 | 8 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lee University | Cleveland, TN | $400,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Tri-State Exhibition Center | Mcdonald, TN | $280,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Tennessee Wesleyan University | Athens, TN | $275,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Caring Place | Cleveland, TN | $260,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Camp Ocoee - YMCA | Ocoee, TN | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| University of Chattanooga Foundatio | Chattanooga, TN | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Holston Home for Children | Greeneville, TN | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| On Point | Hixson, TN | $150,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lift Youth Center Inc | Ringgold, GA | $135,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Bethel Bible Village | Hixson, TN | $125,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Museum Center at 5IVE Points | Cleveland, TN | $107,000 | 3 | 2 | 2025 |
| Creative Discovery Museum | Chattanooga, TN | $105,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Chambliss Center for Children | Chattanooga, TN | $100,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| House of Refuge | Chattanooga, TN | $100,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lookout Mountain Conservancy | Lookout Mountain, TN | $100,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Siskin Hospital for Rehabilitation | Chattanooga, TN | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| CASA Corridor of East Tennessee | Athens, TN | $95,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Family Resource Agency Inc | Cleveland, TN | $90,200 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Bradleycleveland Public Edu Fdtn | Cleveland, TN | $90,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Hope Center Inc | Athens, TN | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs - Gordmurrwhit | Dalton, GA | $82,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| City Fields | Cleveland, TN | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| United Way of Greater Chatt | Chattanooga, TN | $80,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| United Way of the Ocoee Region | Cleveland, TN | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| United Way of Rhea County | Dayton, TN | $78,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| American Red Cross | Cleveland, TN | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Tn Valley | Knoxville, TN | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| United Way of Mcminnmeigs Co | Athens, TN | $75,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| United Way of Monroe County | Sweetwater, TN | $75,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| United Way of Northwest Georgia | Dalton, GA | $75,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Volunteers in Medicine | Chattanooga, TN | $75,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Loudon Cnty | Lenoir City, TN | $65,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Northside Neighborhood House | Chattanooga, TN | $65,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mcminn County Education Foundation | Athens, TN | $60,800 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Bradley Healthcare & Rehab Center | Cleveland, TN | $60,213 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Girl Scouts - Southern Appalachians | Knoxville, TN | $60,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Girls Inc | Chattanooga, TN | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland | Cleveland, TN | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Loudon County Habitat for Humanity | Lenoir City, TN | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Partnership for Familieschildren | Chattanooga, TN | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Scenic City Clay Arts | Chattanooga, TN | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Signal Centers Inc | Chattanooga, TN | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Trousdale School | Cleveland, TN | $60,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| United Way of Loudon County | Lenoir City, TN | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Alzheimer's Association Ga Chapter | Dalton, GA | $57,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Tri-County Center | Athens, TN | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Welcome Home of Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Chattanooga Community Kitchen | Chattanooga, TN | $53,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| A Step Ahead Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Austin Hatcher Foundation | Chattanooga, TN | $50,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Chattanooga State Foundation | Chattanooga, TN | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Chattanooga Zoo | Chattanooga, TN | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Erlanger Children's Hospital | Chattanooga, TN | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Life Bridges | Cleveland, TN | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Loudon County Education Fdtn | Loudon, TN | $50,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Tellico Plains Library Foundation | Tellico Plains, TN | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| University of Tennessee Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Salvation Army | Cleveland, TN | $42,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| CASA of Bradley Polk | Cleveland, TN | $41,300 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters - Chatt | Chattanooga, TN | $40,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Friends of the 6TH Cavalry Museum | Fort Oglethorpe, GA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Metanoia Prison Ministries Inc | Chattanooga, TN | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| CASA of Monroe County | Madisonville, TN | $38,400 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Artsbuild | Chattanooga, TN | $37,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Catoosa County Children's Fund | Ringgold, GA | $30,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Chattanooga Sports Ministries | Chattanooga, TN | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Child Advocacy Center Mcminn | Athens, TN | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Chatt | Chattanooga, TN | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Gr Dalton | Dalton, GA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cha | Chattanooga, TN | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Junior Achievement of Ocoee | Cleveland, TN | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Ocoee Outreach | Cleveland, TN | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Teach for America | Chattanooga, TN | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| University of Chattanooga Fdtn | Chattanooga, TN | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Young Life East Hills | Sweetwater, TN | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| American Red Cross of Tn | Chattanooga, TN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Athens Area Council for the Arts | Athens, TN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Chattanooga State Community Coll | Chattanooga, TN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cleveland State Comm College Fdtn | Cleveland, TN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Houston Musuem of Decorative Arts | Chattanooga, TN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| SPCA of Bradley County | Cleveland, TN | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Pop-Up Project | Chattanooga, TN | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Meigs Decatur Friends of the Librar | Decatur, TN | $24,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Tellico Plains Jam Inc | Tellico Plains, TN | $23,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| City of Fort Oglethorpe | Fort Oglethorpe, GA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Coolidge Nat'l Medal of Honor Cente | Chattanooga, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lapaz Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Saint Paul's Episcopal Church | Athens, TN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | Maryville, TN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Teach for America - Nashvillechatt | Chattanooga, TN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| The 247 Movement | Cleveland, TN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| The Bethlehem Center | Chattanooga, TN | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| United Way of Greater Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Project Free 2 Fly | Cleveland, TN | $17,150 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Volunteer Behavioral Healthcare Sys | Chattanooga, TN | $16,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Adult & Teen Challenge | Chattanooga, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Family Promise of Greater Chatt | Chattanooga, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Junior Achievement of Ocoee Region | Cleveland, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Karis Community Health | Cleveland, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Let's Read 20 - Mcminn County | Cleveland, TN | $13,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Monroe County Imagination Library | Madisonville, TN | $13,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Rhea County Imagination Library | Dayton, TN | $12,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Southern Lit Alliance | Chattanooga, TN | $11,860 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Adult & Teen Challenge Midsouth | Chattanooga, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Broad Street United Methodist Churc | Cleveland, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Chattanooga Area Food Bank | Chattanooga, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Children's Advocacy Center Hamilton | Chattanooga, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Civil Air Patrol Tn 173 | Cleveland, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hosanna Community | Hixson, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Launch Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Partnership for Famchildrenadults | Chattanooga, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Se Tn State Veterans Home Council | Cleveland, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| St Paul's Episcopal Church | Athens, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Young Life Monroe County | Sweetwater, TN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mcminn Co Living Heritage Museum | Athens, TN | $8,100 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Launch | Chattanooga, TN | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| First Things First | Chattanooga, TN | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Medical Foundation of Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mcminn County Living Heri Museum | Athens, TN | $6,200 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Beckett Arts Project | Ooltewah, TN | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Family Cornerstone | Cleveland, TN | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Quilts of Valar - Starr Mountain | Winterset, IA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Quilts of Valor - Starr Mountain | Winterset, IA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Community Fdtn of Clevbradley | Cleveland, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Fellowship of Christian Athletes | Cleveland, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Friends of the Troops | Ooltewah, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Love's Arm Outreach | Chattanooga, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Polk County Friends of the Library | Benton, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Rise Up Cooperative | Chattanooga, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Stove Works | Chattanooga, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wtci PBS | Chattanooga, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Girls on the Run Southeast Tn | Cleveland, TN | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
78 of 134 (58%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 70%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- YMCA
CAMP OCOEE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN - Creative Discovery Museum
CHILDREN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM - On Point
GRADUATION COACHING PROGRAM - CASA Corridor of East Tennessee
ADVOCATE TRAINING PROGRAM - Lookout Mountain Conservancy
HOWARD HS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM - Mcminn County Education Foundation
IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 145 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 63 | $1,620,400 | $15,000 |
| 2022 | 67 | $1,745,073 | $15,000 |
| 2023 | 66 | $1,373,900 | $13,500 |
| 2024 | 67 | $1,654,740 | $15,000 |
| 2025 | 76 | $1,903,110 | $15,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
94% of its giving went to organizations in Tennessee. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $15,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Tennessee.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from George R Johnson Family Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: Po Box 4558, Cleveland, TN, 37320. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 62-6401641 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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