The Johnson Foundation

What The Johnson Foundation does

The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread is an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization established in 1959 when Herbert Fisk Johnson, Jr. donated the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Wingspread estate to promote the free exchange of constructive and purposeful ideas. Headquartered on a 36-acre campus along Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin, the foundation operates as a community convenor, hosting private executive retreats, conferences, and meetings at the Wingspread Retreat and Executive Conference Center (max capacity 36 participants) and applying its proprietary 7-Step Convening Process to drive sustained community-led progress on complex social issues.

The foundation's core programmatic vehicle is the Safety and Well-Being Collaborative, a current Strategic Initiative focused on building a Racine where every family can thrive, with action teams addressing food access, job and workplace supports, parenting programs, and reentry support. Past initiatives include the Charting New Waters freshwater convening (2008–2014, 600+ experts), the Resilient Communities Initiative, the Racine Collaborative for Children's Mental Health, and the Greater Racine Collaborative for Healthy Birth Outcomes. The foundation also offers a virtual guided historical tour of Wingspread's Great Hall as a digital channel.

The business model is hybrid: the foundation earns venue-related revenue from hosting private executive retreats and non-profit co-sponsored conferences at Wingspread (custom, quote-based pricing not publicly disclosed), and is sustained by the stewardship of three generations of the Johnson family — currently chaired by Helen Johnson-Leipold. The foundation is explicitly independent of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. A 2025 rebrand to 'The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread' introduced a new mission, vision, and logo to sharpen community-centered positioning.

Name

The Johnson Foundation

Legal name

The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread

Website

https://johnsonfdn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread is an independent 501(c)(3) charitable foundation in Racine, Wisconsin, that convenes leaders through its Frank Lloyd Wright-designed conference center and 7-Step Convening Process to advance community-led solutions, currently focused on family well-being and economic security in southeastern Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conference and Retreat Venue Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Retreat Hotels (THAGALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Conference retreat venue
• Executive retreat hosting
• Community convening services
• Nonprofit foundation services
• Collaborative meeting facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Racine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference and Retreat Hosting: The foundation generates revenue by hosting private executive retreats, conferences, and meetings at the Wingspread Retreat and Executive Conference Center. Groups rent the facility for purpose-driven work within their historical and inspiring environment. The venue accommodates small to mid-size groups with maximum capacity of 36 participants for conferences.
2. Non-Profit Co-Sponsorship: The foundation partners with non-profit organizations to co-sponsor conferences and meetings that align with their program priorities, providing their facilities and expertise in exchange for collaborative programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread hosts private executive retreats, conferences, and multi-stakeholder convenings at the Wingspread Retreat and Executive Conference Center, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed National Historic Landmark on a 36-acre campus in Racine, Wisconsin. The foundation applies its proprietary 7-Step Convening Process to facilitate purpose-driven gatherings for non-profit organizations, executive groups, and community collaborators, with a maximum capacity of 36 participants per conference.

Product overview

The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread operates as a community-centered foundation offering venue and convening services centered around Wingspread, a historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed conference facility. The core offering is the Wingspread Conference Center, which provides executive retreat and private meeting services for organizations. Supporting this are digital offerings including a Virtual Guided Historical Tour of the property. The Foundation's programmatic work includes the Safety and Well-Being Collaborative (current initiative) and past initiatives such as the Resilient Communities Initiative and Charting New Waters. The organization also offers its proprietary 7-Step Convening Process as a methodology for community engagement. The portfolio functions as an integrated system where the physical venue serves as a gathering space for community-focused initiatives that address regional challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wingspread Retreat and Executive Conference Center Historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed conference and retreat facility offering private executive retreats, leadership meetings, and event hosting on a 36-acre natural landscape campus along Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin. Accommodates small to mid-size groups with a maximum conference capacity of 36 participants.
• Non-Profit Conference Co-Sponsorship Program Structured program through which non-profit organizations submit conference inquiry forms to propose events aligned with the foundation's program priorities, enabling joint convening with facilities, facilitation, and co-sponsorship support.
• Virtual Guided Historical Tour Interactive 360-degree virtual tour experience of Wingspread's Great Hall featuring guided narration on the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright design and historical significance, available to remote audiences via the foundation website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced African American infant mortality rates through improved healthcare access and reduced social/economic inequities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and notable.

• Racine/Kenosha Community Action AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Co-sponsored the Healthy Birth Outcomes Community Action Plan to combat African American infant mortality crisis in Racine. The collaborative created resulted in increased access to quality healthcare and strengthened families.
• Presidential Climate Action Plan Co-SponsorsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007The Presidential Climate Action Plan Summit was co-sponsored by Wirth Chair at University of Colorado Denver and the Baum Foundation. The leadership summit developed a presidential action plan on climate change for the 2009 administration.
• Policy Framework for Racial Justice ParticipantsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983The Johnson Foundation hosted the development of the 1983 Policy Framework for Racial Justice, a significant national initiative that brought together thought leaders to address racial justice issues.
• National Endowment for the ArtsnotableOthersThe National Endowment for the Arts has utilized Wingspread as an inspirational setting, contributing to the foundation's long history of convening thought leaders on important societal issues.
• National Public RadionotableOthersNational Public Radio has utilized the Wingspread venue for important discussions and convenings, leveraging the unique environment for thought leadership.
• International Criminal CourtnotableOthersThe International Criminal Court has convened at Wingspread, utilizing the facility's unique setting for high-level discussions on justice and international law matters.
• Public AlliesnotableOthersPublic Allies has utilized the Wingspread venue for leadership development and convenings, aligning with the foundation's mission to bring people together for positive change.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Aspen Institute: Most direct peer given the combination of a historic campus (Aspen Meadows Resort) with convening of executive leaders and policy makers through programs like the Aspen Strategy Group and Socrates Program. Operates a similar dual model of venue hosting plus leadership convening.
• The Pocantico Center: National Historic Landmark venue at the Rockefeller estate in Sleepy Hollow, NY, hosting convenings, cultural events, and meetings. Directly comparable as another family-donated historic estate repurposed for executive meetings, convenings, and cultural programming.
• Skoll Foundation: Foundation that convenes social entrepreneurs and supports large-scale change initiatives through partnerships and storytelling. Comparable in using convening, co-sponsorship, and partnership models to drive social impact, though focused globally rather than regionally.
• Case Foundation: Family foundation that uses convening, partnerships, and storytelling to advance social impact. Comparable as a family foundation leveraging convening power, strategic philanthropy, and partner networks to drive community-level outcomes.
• Rockefeller Brothers Fund: Multi-generational Rockefeller family foundation with convening programs on sustainability, education, and inclusive economies. Comparable as a family foundation that combines grantmaking with convening and operates with a similar independent governance model.

Broad incumbents

• W.K. Kellogg Foundation: Large U.S. foundation focused on children's well-being, racial equity, and community engagement, including the Kellogg Conference Center. Comparable in community-focused grantmaking and convening, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Ford Foundation: One of the largest U.S. foundations with global operations and extensive convening of policy and social change leaders. Comparable in using convening for social impact and operating a dedicated conference facility, but at vastly greater scale.
• Brookings Institution: Think tank that convenes policy makers, business leaders, and academics for high-impact discussions. Comparable in convening leaders for policy and societal impact, but operates as a research institution rather than a foundation with a historic venue.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Major U.S. health-focused foundation that uses convening to advance public health and health equity. Comparable in foundation-based convening for community impact, particularly relevant given the Johnson Foundation's own work on children's mental health.

Emerging players

• Cranbrook Educational Community: National Historic Landmark campus in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, designed by Eliel Saarinen, that hosts cultural events, educational programs, and convenings. Comparable as another historic campus that combines preservation with public programming and event hosting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tjfwingspread
• Facebookfacebook.com/tjfwingspread
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-johnson-foundation-at-wingspread

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Johnson Foundation