The Norcliffe Foundation
The Norcliffe Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington, established there by Paul Pigott in 1952. It supports nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status operating in the Puget Sound region, across areas including human services, healthcare, education, civic and community projects, and arts and culture.
The Norcliffe Foundation at a glance
In short: The Norcliffe Foundation gave $56.5M across 454 grants in 2025 (avg $124K), mostly in Washington. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $56,487,330
- +39.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 454
- -22.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $124,421
- +80.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $1,017,576,696
- +4418.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (169 of 440, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Norcliffe Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Applications are submitted through the foundation’s online E-Grant System. Applicants should take the eligibility quiz first; eligible applicants must have 501(c)(3) status, or a fiscal sponsor agreement with a registered 501(c)(3), and work within the foundation’s geographic funding area. The foundation does not use a letter-of-inquiry process. Applications require a fundraising plan for the organization and/or project. Requests over $50,000 use a separate application that requires a password; applicants are asked to contact the foundation to discuss the project and obtain access. The website says a decision typically takes four months after receipt of a complete application, while its guidelines advise allowing up to six months.
- Review Cycle
- None; applications are accepted on a rolling, year-round basis. Trustees consider completed applications in the order received. The foundation’s guidelines ask applicants whose requests were declined to wait one year from the decision date before reapplying. For grants paid after May 31, 2025, the stated wait is two years from final payment for Standard Application grants and four years for Special Application grants.
- Deadline
- None; applications are accepted on a rolling, year-round basis.
- Contact
Application contact: Jennifer Beatty
Mailing address: 600 University St Ste 2003, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 682-4820
Email: info@norcliffefoundation.org
Website: https://norcliffefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Norcliffe Foundation
Who The Norcliffe Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was One Roof Stadium Partnership Fiscally Sponsored by Seattle Center Foundatio ($7.5M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $29.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
2,005 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,737 grants of 2,005 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation welcomes applications from organizations operating in 11 Puget Sound counties in Washington: Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom. Its eligibility quiz also allows requests for work carried out primarily in the geographic funding area. In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to Washington recipients; the remaining reported shares were Tennessee and Connecticut at 1% each, with amounts to DC and California rounded to 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 454 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Norcliffe Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 169 of 440 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $104K; repeat grants $144K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 43% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 160% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 121% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $21.7M (2022) to $56.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 454 grants totaling $56.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One Roof Stadium Partnership Fiscally Sponsored by Seattle Center Foundatio Seattle, WA | Memorial Stadium Redevelopment | $7,112,025 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle, WA | South lake union campus expansion: exceptional space enables extraordinary science | $4,820,920 |
| Valley Medical Center Renton, WA | Cancer Care Center | $3,000,000 |
| Mary's Place Seattle, WA | Burien Family Shelter and Affordable Housing Project | $2,367,120 |
| Bishop Blanchet High School Seattle, WA | Ignite Be the Light Campaign | $2,130,843 |
| Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Foundation Seattle, WA | It starts with yes: neurosciences autism and mental health | $2,000,000 |
| 5TH Avenue Theatre Association Seattle, WA | The Next 100 Years Campaign | $1,944,220 |
| Seattle Symphony Seattle, WA | Benaroya Hall Public Spaces Enhancements | $1,901,130 |
| Planned Parenthood Great Northwest Hawaii Alaska Indiana Kentucky Seattle, WA | Power the Movement Campaign | $1,650,000 |
| YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties Tacoma, WA | Pearl Street YMCA - Phase 1A | $1,500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Norcliffe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,017,576,696 | $140,494,753 | $57,974,022 | $56,487,330 | 454 | $56,916,611 | $39,217,664 | $47,191,860 |
| 2024 | $22,521,070 | $43,594,483 | $41,404,239 | $40,496,248 | 586 | $40,725,398 | $39,867,621 | $45,704,814 |
| 2023 | $20,421,324 | $26,379,040 | $24,079,356 | $23,470,065 | 407 | $23,678,768 | $25,604,191 | $34,148,481 |
| 2022 | $18,121,640 | $25,144,033 | $21,995,792 | $21,699,621 | 298 | $21,862,124 | $16,665,202 | $26,061,907 |
| 2021 | $10,482,775 | $14,570,049 | $27,227,355 | $26,488,097 | 260 | — | $22,954,339 | $25,349,374 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Norcliffe Foundation reported a distributable amount of $47.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all people in its community. Its website lists funding areas that include arts and culture, environment and community, education, healthcare and research, and social services and basic needs. It supports capital and infrastructure projects, general operating costs, program support, and capacity building; it does not fund deficit financing or debt reduction.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of its grantmaking. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, which received $4,820,920 in 2025, describes its mission as creating a world free of cancer. YouthCare, which received $800,000, works to end youth homelessness and empower young people. The 5th Avenue Theatre Association, which received $1,944,220, describes its mission as nurturing, advancing, and celebrating musical theatre.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 454 grants totaling $56,487,330. The grants ranged from $500 to $7,112,025, with a median of $20,000. The foundation says nearly 60% of its grants are $15,000 or less.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $7,112,025 to One Roof Stadium Partnership, fiscally sponsored by Seattle Center Foundation, for Memorial Stadium redevelopment; $4,820,920 to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for a South Lake Union campus expansion; $3,000,000 to Valley Medical Center for a cancer care center; and $2,367,120 to Mary’s Place for a family shelter and affordable housing project in Burien. Other large grants included $2,130,843 to Bishop Blanchet High School and $2,000,000 to Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jennifer Beatty as executive director and secretary; Susan Pohl as president; Mary Pigott as vice president; and David Wright as treasurer. Trustees listed are Lisa Anderson, James Hughes, Michael Kenway, Charles M. Pigott, James C. Pigott, and John Pigott. The foundation’s website says Paul Pigott established it in 1952, that his wife, Theiline Pigott McCone, led it for decades after his death, and that succeeding generations of the family continue its legacy.
The Norcliffe Foundation is led by Jennifer Beatty, Executive Director & Secretary since 2025 (on filings since 2021); 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jennifer Beatty
Executive Director & Secretary
Secretary → Executive Director & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$125K (2021) → $210K (2025)
Susan W. Pohl
President
Trustee → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Shamah
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles M. Pigott
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James C. Hughes
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James C. Pigott
Trustee
Treasurer → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Anderson
Trustee
Vice President → President, 2023
President → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Wright
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Pigott
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Kenway
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hal Wright
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Wright
Treasurer
President → Trustee, 2023
Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Pigott
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Ann P. Wyckoff (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Lauren Wyckoff (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Lauri Hughes (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Nora Kenway (2021–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $210K, to Jennifer Beatty (Executive Director, Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about The Norcliffe Foundation
How much does The Norcliffe Foundation give each year?
The Norcliffe Foundation gave $56.5M across 454 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $40.5M across 586 grants.
What is The Norcliffe Foundation's typical grant size?
The Norcliffe Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $124,421, across 454 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Norcliffe Foundation that year got $104K on average.
Where does The Norcliffe Foundation give grants?
The Norcliffe Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (178 grants), Tacoma, WA (30 grants), Bellingham, WA (21 grants) and Olympia, WA (13 grants).
Does The Norcliffe Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 46% of The Norcliffe Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (210 of 454) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Contribution" (7 grants).
Who are The Norcliffe Foundation's largest grantees?
The Norcliffe Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include One Roof Stadium Partnership Fiscally Sponsored by Seattle Center Foundatio ($7,500,000 across 2 grants), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center ($5,000,000 across 2 grants) and Valley Medical Center ($3,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Norcliffe Foundation?
The Norcliffe Foundation reported $1.0B in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $56.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $47.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Norcliffe Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all people in its community. Its website lists funding areas that include arts and culture, environment and community, education, healthcare and research, and social services and basic needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Norcliffe Foundation?
Applications are submitted through the foundation’s online E-Grant System. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Norcliffe Foundation's EIN?
The Norcliffe Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6029352. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Norcliffe Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Norcliffe Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-norcliffe-foundation-morg_b37733e7065849179684567d757f2726
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_916029352_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Norcliffe Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-norcliffe-foundation-morg_b37733e7065849179684567d757f2726},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-07. 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 Norcliffe 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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