The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread is dedicated to serving as a catalyst for innovative public and private solutions in two spheres – one global and one regional – that reflect the Johnson Family’s longstanding passions: healthy environments and healthy local communities.

Over the course of 50 years, the Johnson Foundation has hosted leading thinkers, inspiring consensus and action on a range of public policy issues. Several organizations have roots at Wingspread, including the National Endowment for the Arts, National Public Radio, International Criminal Court and the Presidential Climate Action Plan.

Building on this legacy, The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread has set a new, mission-driven strategic course designed to achieve a greater, more sustained impact on the issues we care about. We are committed to being a catalyst for environmental and community solutions by convening small groups of people and utilizing leading edge convening techniques and technologies for the most effective and efficient conferences possible.

The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread approaches issues without preconceived ideas or fixed agendas. A distinctive feature of our conferences is candid yet collegial conversation among those with divergent ideas and perspectives – in an environment fostering the trust and collaboration needed for innovative solutions that can also be broadly supported. Our unique convening model, combined with a serene natural environment and gracious hospitality, contribute significantly to the authenticity of the dialogue at our conferences.

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Johnson family home known as Wingspread, completed in 1939, is nestled amid 36 wooded acres near the western shore of Lake Michigan. It was donated to the Foundation in 1959 to promote “the free exchange of constructive and purposeful ideas.” The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread occupies a singular place among conference facilities and conveners with its combination of focused environmental mission, historic and stimulating natural setting and unique convening model.