Precious (Presh) Johnson

Precious (Presh) Johnson is an accomplished grants and fundraising professional with expertise in securing support from foundations, corporations, and government entities. Currently serving as a Fund Development Officer for the City of Detroit, Presh previously worked as a Grants Officer at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), where she raised funds for operations, exhibitions, capital projects, and a range of Asian arts and educational programs. Her prior experience includes research and compliance roles at nationally recognized organizations such as Georgetown University Medical Center, Erikson Institute, and Friends of the Children. In these roles, she excelled at coordinating agile, cross-departmental efforts to enhance the safety and well-being of families, youth, patients, and vulnerable state wards.

Inspired by philanthropic figures like Julius Rosenwald and Peggy Cooper Cafritz, Presh strives to foster partnerships that create meaningful, long-term investments in education, arts and culture, environmental initiatives, and neighborhood development. Her work is focused on improving the quality of life, infrastructure, and services in underinvested communities while expanding our capacity to embrace diversity. Since relocating to Detroit, she has pursued her passion for environmental and spatial justice by establishing and managing a community orchard. She has also completed several training programs, including the Michigan Conservation Stewardship Program (2023), Urban Roots Community Garden Leadership Program (2022), and EcoDistricts Accredited Practitioner Program (2020). Additionally, Presh serves as a contributing editor for Barbed Magazine and a writer for Essay’d, a platform that highlights Detroit’s arts and culture scene.