We sat down for an interview with Allison McGee Johnson and Jim Johnson – two very active members of our community, and fundholders at The Denver Foundation – to discuss the many ways you can build a legacy of generosity.
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On any given day, Allison McGee Johnson and Jim Johnson might be reviewing nonprofit grant applications, advising a community organization, supporting a local fundraiser, volunteering, or handing a grocery gift card to someone they met on a Denver street corner.
For them, all of those acts belong in the same category, philanthropy. This means sharing different resources in different ways beyond just financial gifts. Often known as the “5 T’s of Philanthropy”: time, talent, treasure, testimony, and social ties – their family tries to incorporate all of these.
“We believe strongly in the time, talent, and treasure piece,” Allison says. “If you can do all of them, fantastic. But whichever one you’re capable of, everybody should be able to do one of those things.”
That expansive view of giving has shaped the Johnson family and is also how we think of philanthropists: people who give back to the community in ways that go beyond monetary contributions.
Long before they opened a fund at The Denver Foundation, Allison and Jim were finding ways to support their community through volunteer service, nonprofit leadership, financial contributions, and simple acts of kindness. Along the way, they made sure their children were part of the journey, too.
For Allison and Jim, generosity is not something you do occasionally. It’s something you practice every day.
Starting small
Growing up, Allison’s father taught her and her siblings to set aside part of their allowance for giving. Years later, when she and Jim were raising their own children, they adopted the same practice.
“We had three jars,” Allison recalls. “Spend, save, and give.”
Each week, their children, Cassidy and Luke, divided their allowance among the three. The system was simple, but the lesson was lasting. “That’s where I started,” Allison says. “And when we had kids, we did the same thing. I feel like that’s something we’ve been successfully able to pass down.”
Family philanthropy takes many forms, and the Johnsons are careful to point out that generosity does not require a certain income level to participate. When Allison first moved to Denver without a job, she volunteered on the public relations committee for Habitat for Humanity, contributing professional skills before she had much disposable income to donate. This was her first step in hopes of meeting people and getting involved in the community. What she found was something deeper.
I think that (volunteering) really gave them an important perspective on how different people live different lives, and why everybody is deserving of respect and humanity. - Jim Johnson “It gave me a perspective on people in need and all the ways to be involved,” she says.
Over time, her involvement expanded. Allison and Jim volunteered with Urban Peak, serving dinner once a week to youth experiencing homelessness. Allison later served on the organization’s board. The experience transformed her understanding of homelessness and the complex circumstances that can lead people into crisis.
Their son is now a fashion designer in New York. Their daughter is studying astrophysics at the University of Washington. Both children grew up serving dinner at Urban Peak with their parents, and sometimes sitting down with the young people there to talk after the meal.
“I think that really gave them an important perspective on how different people live different lives,” Jim says, “and why everybody is deserving of respect and humanity.”
Jim has shared his talents and time as well, eventually bringing his real estate expertise to the board of The Fax Partnership, where the work focuses on supporting the residents and businesses located along East Colfax and converting old motels along East Colfax into affordable housing.
Providing invaluable professional expertise and a lifetime of experience can be worth more to an organization than a one-time donation. The Johnsons have proven how the valuable impact that their volunteering, expertise and meaningful connections have helped them show up for their neighbors.
New ways to engage
When Allison and Jim established a fund at The Denver Foundation, they were initially looking to formalize and better coordinate their charitable giving. What grew their engagement was something different: The opportunity to learn, connect, and make a local impact alongside others who care deeply about Metro Denver.
“We wanted to see the impact of our giving,” Allison says. “And we wanted to leave a legacy of impact for our children.”
In recent years, Allison has become involved with The Denver Foundation in multiple ways. She serves on The Denver Foundation’s Advisory Committee for Community Impact (ACCI), which provides feedback, reviews critical issues that are important to The Denver Foundation, and participates in our grant review process. These committee members, representing all types of partners in the community, from fundholders and donors to grantees, will weigh in on high-priority and emerging issues impacting the Metro Denver community and inform the foundation’s approach to engagement with directly impacted communities. The experience has given her a deeper understanding of community needs while providing an opportunity to contribute her own perspective.
“Every time I attend an ACCI meeting, I’m impressed,” she says. “Not only by the people in the room, but by the whole experience.”
As a member of this committee, she recently volunteered to review applications for The Denver Foundation’s Community Grants Program, helping evaluate applications from nonprofit organizations across the region. As she reviewed proposal after proposal, she found herself inspired by the creativity and commitment of local organizations working to strengthen their communities.
“The very first one I started with, I thought, ‘Wow, this is awesome,'” she recalls. “And then the next one, I thought, ‘Wow. This is awesome.'” It was immediately apparent how much good work was happening in Colorado, and how great the need is for additional support.”
She came out of the process wanting to personally support from their donor-advised fund two organizations she had not been able to recommend for grants. For the Johnsons, being so close to the work and understanding what organizations are actually doing and their needs is something they think more donors and fundholders should seek out. The Denver Foundation makes it accessible and welcomes new ACCI members and volunteer reviewers for the Community Grants Program and other competitive grant opportunities. “Every time I engage with the foundation,” Jim says, “I feel like I’m part of something bigger than just writing a check.”
Developing healthy habits
The lesson the Johnsons draw from their own experience is not complicated. Giving works best for their family when it is consistent and ordinary, not just reserved for end-of-year tax planning or milestone moments. Jim and Allison also made a generous gift to The Fund for Denver in support of the Centennial Campaign. This is just one more example of their generosity and an extension of their regular giving back practices.
“Developing a habit of giving is year-round,” Jim says. “It’s something we do regularly, how we can and when we can.”
A $25 donation to support a friend’s fundraiser. A volunteer shift. A board seat. Professional expertise shared with a nonprofit. A conversation with their kids about why generosity matters.
“I think people sometimes view philanthropy as giant gifts and fancy buildings,” Allison says. “But that’s not really what it’s about.” Instead, she believes philanthropy grows the same way most meaningful habits do: one small action at a time. “We are grateful for the good fortune of being able to help others,” she says. “Because it helps us too.”
When generosity becomes a family practice, its impact is far-reaching. It becomes something that can be passed from one generation to the next and improve our communities for decades to come.
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Contact us if you want to explore ways to get more involved in your community and build a lasting legacy for you and your family. You can apply to serve on our Advisory Committee for Community Impact, apply to volunteer to review other grant opportunities, participate in the Community Grants Program application review process, or contact a relationship manager to learn about nonprofits that need your support.
