The Atlantic Foundation

HAMILTON, NJ EIN: 22-6054882

Adults Arts and culture Visual arts Sculpture Education

The Atlantic Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1963 by J. Seward Johnson, Sr., an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune. Based in Hamilton, New Jersey, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation (NTEE code T20). The organization has evolved from supporting a broad range of charitable causes to concentrating its efforts primarily on arts and cultural organizations, with particular emphasis on sculpture and public art initiatives.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$34.0M

-5.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.7M

-81.1% YoY

Grant Count

-15.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$340K

-77.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Atlantic Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Primary funding areas include:

Arts and Sculpture: Support for sculpture parks open to the public, including public programming, tours, membership and admissions programs, sculpture-related events, children's programs, and artists' lectures
Public Art Education: Funding for organizations dedicated to enhancing public awareness and appreciation of sculpture through exhibitions and public education
Marine Sciences and Oceanography: Historical support for oceanographic research and conservation projects

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$10,000 to $3,000,000+

Invitation Only

**: The Atlantic Foundation operates on an invitation-only, pre-selected basis. Unsolicited applications are not accepted.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's geographic priorities include:

New Jersey (primary focus)
New York
Massachusetts
Florida
Vermont
Costa Rica
National arts organizations

Grant Distribution by State

New Jersey $36.2M (70%)

New York $11.8M (23%)

District of Columbia $1.1M (2%)

Massachusetts $1.0M (2%)

Maryland $605K (1%)

Vermont $270K (1%)

Arizona $160K (0%)

Florida $95K (0%)

+5 more states

States

Arizona California Colorado District of Columbia Florida Massachusetts Maryland New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Texas Vermont

Cities

AllentownAustinBarnetBethesdaBoulderBronxBrooklynFlorenceFt LauderdaleGladstoneHamiltonHopewellJacksonvilleLancasterLoomisLos AngelesMilordNantucketNew YorkPrinceton

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $34,046,985
Total Revenue: $905,290
Total Expenses: $4,948,051
Total Giving: $3,739,400
Number of Employees: 0

Historical Context (2023):

Total Assets: $36.1 million
Total Revenue: $1.74 million
Total Expenses: $20.9 million

Tax Status: Tax-exempt since July 1964 (EIN: 22-6054882)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$34,046,985	$36,052,188	$52,358,042
Revenue	$905,290	$1,738,356	$882,600
Expenses	$4,948,051	$20,903,348	$8,149,129
Qualifying Distributions	$4,216,133	$20,195,253	$7,375,951
Net Investment Income	$299,565	$1,162,950	$367,693
Distributable Amount	$1,446,836	$1,548,158	$2,253,419

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

78 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Seward Johnson Atelier Inc ($1,400,000), Harmony Institute ($1,260,000), Eyebeam Atelier ($505,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
SEWARD JOHNSON ATELIER INC HAMILTON, NJ	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$1,400,000
HARMONY INSTITUTE NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$1,260,000
EYEBEAM ATELIER NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$505,000
AMIGOS DE COSTA RICA WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$201,000
GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE HAMILTON, NJ	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$157,500
SCREENWRITERS COLONY NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$93,400
REPRESENT US EDUCATION FUND FLORENCE, MA	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$52,500
ALMANACK ARTS COLONY NANTUCKET, MA	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$35,000
THE SAKYONG POTRANG BOULDER, CO	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT	$20,000
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA TUCSON, AZ	PROJECT SUPPORT	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Founder: J. Seward Johnson, Sr. (established 1963)
Leadership since 1983: J. Seward Johnson, Jr. (sculptor and artist)
Principal Officer: John S Johnson III

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JOHN S JOHNSON III	CEO	25	$8,550
MICHAEL GREENLEAF	TREASURER	25	$36,720

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Adults Arts and culture Visual arts Sculpture Education

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Atlantic Foundation fund?

The Atlantic Foundation's stated vision is to support "just, equitable, and regenerative communities in harmony with each other and our world." The foundation makes grants to pre-selected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications. Primary funding areas include: • **Arts and Sculpture**: Support for sculpture parks open to the public, including public programming, tours, membership and admissions programs, sculpture-related events, children's programs, and artists' le…

How do I apply for a grant from The Atlantic Foundation?

**Application Process**: The Atlantic Foundation operates on an invitation-only, pre-selected basis. Unsolicited applications are not accepted. **Grant Characteristics**: • Grant range: $10,000 to $3,000,000+ • Typical annual giving: $3.7 million to $20.9 million (varies significantly year to year) • Recent grant activity: Made 13 grants in 2024 **Recent Grants** (2024): • The Seward Johnson Atelier: $1,400,000 (General Operating Support) • Grounds For Sculpture Inc.: Recipient of ongoing suppo…

Where does The Atlantic Foundation make grants?

The foundation's geographic priorities include: • New Jersey (primary focus) • New York • Massachusetts • Florida • Vermont • Costa Rica • National arts organizations

What size grants does The Atlantic Foundation award?

In 2024, The Atlantic Foundation awarded 11 grants totaling $3.7M — an average of about $340K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Atlantic Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Atlantic Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.