What We Fund

We view our grantees as partners and work with them to develop sustainable proposals that will catalyze change and growth in their organization and in the individuals served. Grantee partners are usually required to leverage Foundation grants by obtaining matching funds from other sources. The amount of matching money varies according to the circumstances and is negotiated with the grantee partner in each case.

Determining Eligibility for a Grant

Does your nonprofit organization qualify to submit a Letter of Inquiry for funding from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation? All programs are delivered through partner institutions. In our programming, we employ strategies that assist growth and development in the institutions and students that we serve. In the Foundation’s scholarship programs, financial need on the part of the recipient is always a requirement.

We do not make the following types of grants:

  • Scholarships to individuals
  • Travel projects or fellowships
  • Capital improvement projects
  • Routine operating expenses
  • To pay off deficits or pre-existing debts
  • Political advocacy
  • Programs outside of the United States and Canada

Looking for a Scholarship?

The Johnson Scholarship Foundation is a private foundation providing grants to approved nonprofit institutions and organizations. It does not make individual grants and we do not fund individuals directly. If you are an individual looking for a scholarship, please visit our scholarships page.

All scholarships and grants are made through selected institutions.

Visit our Current Grants page to see which institutions have scholarships available from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.

The Online Grantmaking Process

If you have reviewed and meet our grant eligibility requirements, please review the steps below to begin the grant application process. Should you have any questions, please contact Sharon Wood at wood@jsf.bz or 561-659-2005.

Step 1 – Eligibility & Login

Review the eligibility requirements.  If eligible, click on the button below. New applicants will need to complete the registration.

Step 2 – Letter of Inquiry

Click “APPLY” at the left of the screen and pick one of the three funding categories to complete the Letter of Inquiry (LOI).  Once submitted, the LOI will be reviewed by the Foundation’s Program Review Committee.  Should the LOI be declined, it will be marked “denied” and the applicant will be notified via email.  A response from the Foundation can take 30 days or longer.

Step 3 – Further Investigation

If the Letter of Inquiry passes the Foundation’s initial review and more information is desired, the Foundation will contact the organization about what further investigation and discussion are needed.  These may include phone calls, site visits, and/or more in-depth questions.

Step 4 – Grant Proposal

If the Foundation’s Program Review Committee reaches consensus on the desirability of submitting a grant proposal, the Letter of Inquiry will be marked “approved” and the applicant will be notified that an application form is now available online to be completed and submitted.  Once submitted, the Foundation’s Program Review Committee will discuss the proposal and inform the applicant of any suggested revisions.

Step 5 – Grant Program Committee

Once in final form, the proposal will be presented to the Grant Program Committee which may request further negotiations, approve a grant, or deny the proposal.  The Grant Program Committee meets in March, September, and December of each year.

Step 6 – Notification

After review, the applicant will be notified of the Grant Program Committee’s request of further negotiations, approval, or denial.  Should the grant proposal be approved, the Foundation and applicant may enter into a grant agreement.

Step 7 – Evaluation Reports

Grantees are responsible for the completion of evaluation report(s) as outlined in the grant agreement between the Foundation and grantee.