Precious Johnson
Precious Johnson is an experienced grants and fundraising professional, cultivating support from foundation, corporate, and government donors. Prior to joining the City of Detroit as a fund development officer, she served as a grants officer at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), raising funds for operations, exhibitions, capital projects, and a portfolio of Asian arts and educational initiatives. In research and institutional compliance roles at nationally-recognized organizations, including the Georgetown University Medical Center, the Erikson Institute, and Friends of the Children, she gained valuable experience coordinating nimble, cross-departmental collaborations to advance human wellbeing.
Precious aims to foster partnerships that make significant, long-term investments in education, arts and culture, and environmental and neighborhood initiatives that enhance our collective quality of life, improve conditions in disinvested communities, and honor the more-than-human world. A proud graduate of the James Kanada Fellowship facilitated by Strategic Community Partners, she has channeled her passion for environmental and spatial justice towards establishing and managing a community orchard as well as completing an Advanced Training Certificate in Ecopsychology (2025), Michigan Conservation Stewardship Program (2023), and Urban Roots Community Garden Leadership Program (2022). In addition, Precious serves as a contributing editor of Barbed Magazine as well as a writer and advisory board member for Essay’d, a platform spotlighting the Detroit arts and culture ecosystem.
◘ Board of Directors, Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE), 2025-Present
• • Chair, Fund Development Subcommittee, 2025-Present
◘ Board of Directors, Black to the Land Coalition, 2025-Present
• • Chair, Fund Development, 2025-Present
◘ Co-Chair, Board of Directors, Sadza Space, 2025-Present
◘ Advisory Board Member, Essay'd
◘ Member, Friends of the Detroit River
◘ Member, Friends of Rouge Park
◘ Member, Michigan Lakes and Streams Association (MLSA)
◘ Member, Citizens Research Council of Michigan
EDUCATION
◘ B.A., The University of Chicago, 2005
◘ M.A., The University of Illinois-Springfield, 2012