About the

Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation

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Founded in 1975, the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation expands opportunities for people and communities on the North Shore of Lake Superior. We do this through intentional giving, a commitment to place, and working with people to make this region and its future better for everyone.

Since establishing formal operations in 2007, the Foundation has awarded more than $18M in grants and $1M in scholarships.

Our Vision

Our Values

Our Vision

People and communities on the North Shore are vibrant, vital, and valued, where every person has the opportunity to live, work, and flourish.

Our Values

The Power of Place: We seek to honor the history of the North Shore and act with integrity and respect for people’s cultures, traditions and beliefs.
Education: We have seen and believe that education can transform lives and in doing so transform families and communities.
Relationships: We understand the power of partnering, we know the importance of active listening and responding to the diverse needs of the North Shore.
Stewardship: We are intentional with the foundation’s resources, as well as the valuable and vital human and natural resources of the North Shore.
A Just and Equitable Region: We will direct our resources where needed and work to reduce barriers to ensure that all people and communities have the opportunity to flourish.

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Wealth Origin Statement

Lloyd K Johnson

Lloyd Karl Johnson (right, with his uncle Van Johnson) was the son of Swedish immigrants who were among the early European settlers in Grand Marais in the late 19th century. His family were entrepreneurs, starting many businesses in timber, real estate, and retail. The Johnsons were prominent leaders in the community.

Business Ventures

Throughout his life, Mr. Johnson created numerous ventures in the wood products industry, mining, real estate, and had a law practice. Notable were the creation of Superwood, producing hardboard used in automobile interiors, and the development of the Mount Royal retail and residential area, both in Duluth. The culmination of his life’s work produced significant wealth. Mr. Johnson was generous during his lifetime, supporting a wide range of charitable causes. He left a major portion of his wealth as a perpetual legacy to support his beloved North Shore and the people who call this beautiful place home.

Lake Superior Anishinaabe

The area we know as Cook County and the rest of the North Shore was and is home to the Lake Superior Anishinaabe. They called the area home long before European settlers arrived and still do today. The land was ceded to the US government under the 1854 Treaty of La Pointe, and the area was opened to settlement. Federal laws such as the General Allotment Act of 1887 and the Nelson Act of 1889 set in motion policies that stripped Tribes of much of the land they retained and sought to assimilate American Indians to Euro-American norms. The impacts of these policies were devastating. Many American Indians lost large portions of their ancestral land, their way of life, and the ability to provide for themselves and their families. White settlers bought land from the government or American Indians who were allotted land for a fraction of its value. Mr. Johnson, and his family before him, benefited greatly from these policies; as did many settlers along the North Shore and across the country.

Our Commitment

The Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation board and staff commit to learning the full story and all the impacts of Mr. Johnson’s businesses and to using this knowledge to inform our work in support of the Foundation’s mission. We strive to be in strong relationships with our Indigenous neighbors.

We are supporting Indigenous-led community work across the North Shore communities we serve. Our grantmaking in this area has increased and will continue to expand as we develop and strengthen relationships. We consult with the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa when appropriate.

The Future

In 2025, the Foundation worked closely with the Grand Portage Band and the Johnson family to return land to the Band that it had owned for more than a century. This land within and beyond the Reservation boundaries is a significant step in the Band’s goal of fully restoring their land.

History cannot be changed or undone, but we can learn from and study it from different perspectives to better understand the impact of the actions of those who came before us. The future is shaped by both small and big moments and actions. We commit to doing both the small and large actions to meet the moments. This knowledge can help shift past trajectories and bend them toward a future that works better for everyone.