The Norcliffe Foundation

The Norcliffe Foundation, established in 1952 by Paul Pigott, is a private nonprofit foundation based in Seattle, Washington. It is primarily focused on improving the quality of life in the Puget Sound Basin, particularly in the Seattle area. The Foundation engages in grantmaking across several key areas, including human services, healthcare, civic and community projects, education, and arts and culture.

Mission and Focus Areas

The mission of The Norcliffe Foundation is to enhance the well-being of communities in the Puget Sound region. It provides financial support to nonprofit organizations addressing critical needs in their communities. The Foundation aims to fund initiatives that employ innovative approaches and have the potential to fill unique niches within the social landscape.

Primary Focus Areas:

• Human Services: Support programs that provide essential services to vulnerable populations.

• Healthcare: Fund initiatives that improve health outcomes and access to care.

• Civic and Community Projects: Promote civic engagement and community development projects that enhance local infrastructure and services.

• Education: Support educational programs and initiatives that improve access and quality of education for all.

• Arts and Culture: Fund projects that enrich the cultural fabric of the community and promote artistic expression.

Grantmaking

The Norcliffe Foundation has a flexible grantmaking approach with no formal application deadlines. It accepts applications on a rolling basis through an E-Grant System. The size of grants varies, with nearly 60% of awards being $15,000 or less. The Foundation prioritizes funding that meets critical community needs and engages innovative solutions.

Types of Funding:

• Capital requests
• Program costs
• General operating expenses
• Occasionally, multi-year grants based on the discretion of the trustees

Financial Overview

As of the fiscal year ending in November 2023, The Norcliffe Foundation reported total revenue of approximately $26.4 million and total expenses of about $24.1 million, resulting in total assets of $20.4 million. The majority of its revenue comes from dividend income, making up approximately 66.5% of its total revenue, while contributions received account for about 33.4%. The Foundation predominantly spends its budget on charitable disbursements, which constituted 99.4% of its total expenses in 2023.

Governance and Operations

The Norcliffe Foundation operates as a private family foundation and is governed by a board of trustees who meet regularly to consider grant requests. The Foundation does not maintain formal reporting requirements for grantees, although it appreciates updates on funded projects and organizational activities.

Conclusion

The Norcliffe Foundation remains committed to its mission of enhancing life in Washington State through targeted philanthropic efforts. Its proactive approach to grantmaking helps support diverse initiatives that address the evolving needs of the communities it serves.

[1] https://www.communitydevelopmentgrants.info/GrantDetails.aspx?gid=39146 [2] https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/916029352 [3] https://www.norcliffefoundation.org/general-faqs.html [4] https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/norcliffe-foundation,916029352/ [5] https://www.guidestar.org/profile/91-6029352