The Norbell Foundation
The Norbell Foundation is a private foundation based in Appleton, Wisconsin. Its 2024 filing reports 53 grants totaling $281,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in health, education, animal welfare, conservation, and community services.
The Norbell Foundation at a glance
In short: The Norbell Foundation gave $281K across 53 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), top state Pennsylvania. 13% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $281,000
- +8.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 53
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,302
- +8.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,228,667
- -5.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (7 of 53, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (46% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Norbell Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3913 W Prospect Avenue 201, Appleton, WI 54914-8797
Phone: (920) 380-9960
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Norbell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Cancer Society ($18K). Together the top 10 received $107K.
Grant Size Distribution
275 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 275 grants of 275 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania (46%), Wisconsin (24%), and California (14%). Texas and Colorado each received 5%. The grants also included recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 53 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Norbell Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 53 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $256K (2020) to $281K (2024). In 2024 it made 53 grants totaling $281K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Cancer Society Pittsburgh, PA | General Operating Expenses | $18,000 |
| Telluride Humane Society Telluride, CO | General Operating Expenses | $13,000 |
| Hope International Lancaster, PA | General Operating Expenses | $12,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church Racine, WI | General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Hollow Oak Land Trust Coraopolis, PA | General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| St Anne School Laguna Niguel, CA | General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| The Salvation Army Carnegie, PA | General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Greendale Community Church Greendale, WI | General Operating Expenses | $8,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation New York, NY | General Operating Expenses | $8,000 |
| Racine Zoological Society Racine, WI | General Operating Expenses | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Norbell Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,228,667 | $188,839 | $311,753 | $281,000 | 53 | $282,890 | $165,530 | $276,347 |
| 2023 | $2,351,581 | $175,344 | $294,783 | $260,000 | 53 | $263,171 | $154,154 | $264,486 |
| 2022 | $2,471,020 | $161,514 | $302,585 | $269,000 | 54 | $271,415 | $141,748 | $273,635 |
| 2021 | $2,612,091 | $166,652 | $315,069 | $281,000 | 57 | $283,494 | $137,455 | $277,613 |
| 2020 | $2,760,508 | $171,395 | $290,530 | $255,500 | 58 | — | $135,100 | $251,207 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Norbell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $276K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated work includes cancer research and patient support, religious and academic instruction, wildlife conservation, animal care, trails, literacy, and research on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. For example, Hollow Oak Land Trust describes its work as protecting and connecting greenspace in the Pittsburgh airport corridor, while Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh describes its mission as fostering literacy, enabling exploration, and creating connections with neighbors.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 53 grants totaling $281,000. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $18,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed grants were $18,000 to the American Cancer Society, $13,000 to Telluride Humane Society, and $12,000 to Hope International. Other listed grants included $10,000 each to First Presbyterian Church in Racine, Hollow Oak Land Trust, St Anne School, and The Salvation Army; and $8,000 each to Greendale Community Church, Planned Parenthood Federation, and Racine Zoological Society. The listed grants were for general operating expenses.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ellen S Easley as trustee and foundation manager; Joyce S Biffar, Travis S Biffar, and Charles S Stuckeman as trustees; and Fiduciary Partners Trust Co as trustee.
The Norbell Foundation's 2024 filing lists 5 officers; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Fiduciary Partners Trust CO
Trustee
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$21K (2022) → $21K (2024)
Charles S. Stuckeman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ellen S. Easley
Trustee & Foundation Manager
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joyce S. Biffar
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Travis S. Biffar
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Fiduciary Partners INC (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $21K, to Fiduciary Partners Trust CO (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Norbell Foundation
How much does The Norbell Foundation give each year?
The Norbell Foundation gave $281K across 53 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $260K across 53 grants.
What is The Norbell Foundation's typical grant size?
The Norbell Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,302, across 53 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Norbell Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Norbell Foundation give grants?
The Norbell Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Wisconsin (24%) and California (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (11 grants), Racine, WI (11 grants), Coraopolis, PA (4 grants) and San Diego, CA (4 grants).
Does The Norbell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Norbell Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (53 of 53) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Norbell Foundation's largest grantees?
The Norbell Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Cancer Society ($18,000), Telluride Humane Society ($13,000) and Hope International ($12,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Norbell Foundation?
The Norbell Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $283K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $276K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Norbell Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated work includes cancer research and patient support, religious and academic instruction, wildlife conservation, animal care, trails, literacy, and research on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Norbell Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Norbell Foundation's EIN?
The Norbell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1757468. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Norbell Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Norbell Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Norbell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-norbell-foundation-morg_7dc4e1ee4ada4656ad63078df54a935c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251757468_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Norbell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-norbell-foundation-morg_7dc4e1ee4ada4656ad63078df54a935c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Norbell Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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