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Non-profit

Norman Foundation

Website:

www.normanfdn.org/
Location:

New York, NY
Tax ID:

13-1862694
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Assets: $19,813,416
Type:

Grantmaking organization
Founded:

1936
Executive Director:

Lorraine Marasigan
Budget (2021):

Revenue: $2,289,658
Expenses: $1,495,508
Net Assets: $19,839,451 1

 

References

  1. Norman Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.

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The Norman Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking organization that focuses on environmentalist and economic justice issues and movement building. The Foundation mandates that grant requests should further equity and that funded projects are likely to achieve left-of-center systemic change.

The Norman Foundation funds environmentalist groups that seek to preserve land and fight perceived global warming. The Norman Foundation funds economic organizations that oppose business and development and seek to increase wages and promote organized labor. The Norman Foundation has also funded left-leaning civil disobedience groups.

History

The Norman Foundation began in 1936 as the Assistance Fund from a $1 million donation upon the death of Aaron E. Norman. 1 Aaron Norman, known at the time as Aaron Nusbaum, was approached in 1895 by Richard Sears to purchase Alvah Roebuck’s half stake in Sears Roebuck for $75,000 due to Roebuck’s declining health. 2 Nusbaum and his brother-in-law Julius Rosenwald each purchased half of Roebuck’s stake in the company. 3

In 1895, at the time of the purchase, Sears was selling $500,000 worth of goods annually. 4 By 1900, sales had increased to $11 million from catalog sales and marketing. 5 Due to disagreements, Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald bought Nusbaum’s stake in Sears in 1901 for $1.2 million. 6 Upon leaving Sears, Nusbaum traveled throughout Europe and changed his last name to Norman. Norman then founded the investment firm Abacus & Associates. 7

The Norman Foundation (formerly the Assistance Fund) has been controlled by descendants of Aaron Norman since 1936 and currently is in its fourth generation. 8 In the 1960s, five foundations were formed as independent sub-family foundations of the Norman Foundation. 9

Normandie Foundation

The Normandie Foundation was founded in 1967 as an independent nonprofit foundation associated with the Norman Foundation. 10 The Norman Foundation and Normandie Foundation share the same mailing address and the Normandie Foundation’s books are kept by the Norman Foundation. 11 In 1999, as the third generation of the Norman Foundation family members were 70 or older, the Norman Foundation transferred leadership of the foundation to the fourth generation of family members. 12 In return, Norman family members from the third generation stepped down from the Norman Foundation board, assumed control of the 5 sub-family foundations created in the 1960s, and the sub-foundations were given one-third of Norman Foundation assets. 13

The president of the Normandie Foundation is Abigail Norman and the secretary and treasurer is Margaret Norman, both of whom are on the Norman Foundation board. 14 In 2021, the Normandie Foundation had assets of $17,063,742 with $2,273,481 in revenue of and expenses of $762,578. 15

Positions

Most Norman Foundation grants are given in the areas of economic and environmental justice as well as movement building. 16 The Norman Foundation seeks to promote economic justice through grant money for community organizing groups, coalition building, and policy reform efforts. 17 The Norman Foundation seeks to link environmental issues with economic and social justice and bridge community groups with national and international reform efforts. 18

Grants

In evaluating grant requests, the Norman Foundation evaluates proposals by examining whether it furthers ethnic, gender, and other forms of equity; the likelihood it will achieve systemic change; whether the project’s efforts impact those whose survival, well-being, and liberation are at stake; and if it is a program rooted in organized, practical undertakings. 19 The Norman Foundation seeks to achieve systemic change by examining if a grantee can act as a model program, can the model program spread and act on its own, can the establishment of a program and success be adapted by other political, social, and economic entities. 20 The Norman Foundation typically provides 25-30 grants per year and grant applicants whose organization has an annual budget under $1 million are given priority. 21

In 2021, the Norman Foundation awarded $726,500 in 29 grants. 22 Ten of these grants were for economic justice worth $305,000, eight environmental grants totaling $210,000, seven movement building grants worth $185,000, and $26,500 in four discretionary grants. 23

In 2020, the Norman Foundation awarded 43 grants worth $842,500 with $285,000 in ten economic justice grants, eight grants for $190,000 in environmental justice, four movement grants worth $110,000, nine civic engagement grants worth $195,000, and 12 discretionary grants totaling $62,500. 24 In 2019, the Norman Foundation awarded 26 grants worth $715,000. Grants included ten economic justice funds totaling $280,000, ten environmental grants worth $270,000, and six movement grants for $165,000. 25

Environment

Since 2018, the Norman Foundation provided at least $130,000 in grants to Owe Aku to support water and land interests in South Dakota. 26 In 2021, the Norman Foundation provided $3,000 for the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition to go on a four-day retreat. 27 The Norman Foundation has provided at least $120,000 since 2018 to the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, a group that advocates fighting for racial and food justice and against corporations. 28

Since 2018, the Norman Foundation has granted at least $175,000 to the Center for Earth, Energy, and Democracy to strengthen grassroots organizing on environmental causes in Minnesota and the Midwest. 29 In 2021, the Norman Foundation gave $30,000 for statewide grassroots organizing on environmental justice issues in Tennessee to the Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment (SOCM). 30 In 2020, the Norman Foundation granted $25,000 to Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, which affirms that human-caused global warming is harming the environment. 31

Economy

In 2023, the Norman Foundation provided $30,000 to the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to organize and train workers. 32 The Norman Foundation gave at least $50,000 in grants to Venceremos to promote social responsibility in the poultry supply chain. 33 Since 2018, the Norman Foundation has provided at least $155,000 in grants to the left-of-center Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy to increase wages for all workers regardless of immigration status. 34

The Norman Foundation provided $8,500 in grant money for the anti-business, anti-landlord, and anti-developers group Workers’ Dignity to buy equipment for a radio program in Nashville, Tennessee. 35  Since 2018, the Norman Foundation has given at least $120,000 in grants to Warehouse Workers for Justice, a group that targets companies that outsource warehouse jobs and demands higher wages for warehouse workers. 36

Elections and Movements

Since 2021, the Norman Foundation has provided at least $60,000 to the left-leaning civil disobedience group For All for grassroots organizing. 37 Since 2018, the Norman Foundation has given at least $115,000 to the left-of-center Workers Center for Racial Justice to advance a left-wing pro-labor union and anti-law enforcement agenda. 38 In 2020 and 2021, the Norman Foundation provided $50,000 in grants to left-of-center Detroit Action to build the economic, social, and political power to low-income Detroiters. 39

Finances

In 2021, the Norman Foundation had net assets of $19,839,451. 40 According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2021 the Norman Foundation recorded $2,289,658 in revenue and $1,495,508 in expenses. 41 In 2020, the Norman Foundation raised $1,531,197 in revenue and $1,634,854 in expenses. 42

Leadership

Lorraine Marasigan has been the executive director of the Norman Foundation since 2022. 43 She previously worked at the Norman Foundation as program director from 2017 to 2021, program officer in 2016, and grants manager from 2013 to 2015. 44

From 2010 to 2013, Marasigan was a program officer with the social justice reform group Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing. 45 Marasigan worked at the left-of-center Cricket Island Foundation from 2007 to 2010. 46 From 2004 to 2007, Marasigan was the director of support services at the CityKids Foundation. 47

References

  1. “A.E. Norman Left Million To Public.” New York Times. July 23, 1936. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/07/23/88681846.html?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0&pageNumber=19.
  2. [1] Hautzinger, Daniel. “The Businessman Philanthropist You Haven’t Heard of Who Shaped Chicago.” WTTW. December 11, 2018. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://interactive.wttw.com/playlist/2018/12/11/julius-rosenwald.
  3. Hautzinger, Daniel. “The Businessman Philanthropist You Haven’t Heard of Who Shaped Chicago.” WTTW. December 11, 2018. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://interactive.wttw.com/playlist/2018/12/11/julius-rosenwald.
  4. “Sears, Richard W.” Encyclopedia.com. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/sears-richard-w.
  5. “Sears, Richard W.” Encyclopedia.com. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/sears-richard-w.
  6. “Sears, Richard W.” Encyclopedia.com. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/sears-richard-w.
  7. “Our History.” Spears Abacus. Accessed November 6, 2023. http://www.spearsabacus.com.
  8. Weil, Frank A. “A Note of Interest Concerning Family Philanthropy.” Huffington Post. January 9, 2012. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-note-of-interest-concer_b_1187485.
  9. Weil, Frank A. “A Note of Interest Concerning Family Philanthropy.” Huffington Post. January 9, 2012. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-note-of-interest-concer_b_1187485.
  10. “Normandie Foundation.” Cause IQ. Accessed November 8, 2023. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/normandie-foundation,136213564/;Norman Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021; Normandie Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
  11. Norman Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021; Normandie Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
  12. Weil, Frank A. “A Note of Interest Concerning Family Philanthropy.” Huffington Post. January 9, 2012. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-note-of-interest-concer_b_1187485.
  13. Weil, Frank A. “A Note of Interest Concerning Family Philanthropy.” Huffington Post. January 9, 2012. Accessed November 6, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-note-of-interest-concer_b_1187485.
  14. Normandie Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021; “Board and Staff.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 8, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/board-%26-staff.
  15. Normandie Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
  16. “Guidelines.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/guidelines
  17. “Guidelines.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/guidelines.
  18. “Guidelines.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/guidelines.
  19. “Guidelines.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/guidelines.
  20. “Guidelines.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/guidelines.
  21. “Guidelines.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/guidelines; “2023 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2023-grants; “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants; “2018 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2018-grants.
  22. “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants.
  23.  “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants.
  24. “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants.
  25. “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants.
  26.   “2023 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2023-grants; “2022 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2022-grants-1; “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants; “2018 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2018-grants.
  27. “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants.
  28. “2023 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2023-grants; “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants; “2018 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2018-grants.
  29. “2022 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2022-grants-1; “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants; “2018 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2018-grants.
  30. “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants.
  31. “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “Principles.” Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.tejasbarrios.org/principles.
  32. “2023 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2023-grants.
  33. “2023 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2023-grants; “2022 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2022-grants-1.
  34. “2023 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2023-grants; “Wage Theft.” Virginia Faith Center for Public Policy. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://virginiainterfaithcenter.org/economic-justice/wage-theft/; “2018 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2018-grants; “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants.
  35. “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “About Us.” Workers’ Dignity. Accessed November 5, 2022. https://www.workersdignity.org/about-us/.
  36. “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants; “2018 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2018-grants; “Organize.” Warehouse Workers For Justice. Accessed November 5, 2022. https://www.ww4j.org/organize.html.
  37. “2023 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2023-grants; “2022 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2022-grants-1;“2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants.
  38. “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants; “2019 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2019-grants; “2018 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2018-grants; “Our Demands.” Workers Center for Racial Justice. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.center4racialjustice.org/demands.
  39. “2021 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2021-grants; “2020 Grants.” Norman Foundation. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://normanfdn.org/2020-grants
  40. Norman Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
  41. Norman Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2021.
  42. Norman Foundation, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990-PF), 2020.
  43. “Lorraine Marasigan.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-marasigan-7b0b371/.
  44.  “Lorraine Marasigan.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-marasigan-7b0b371/.
  45. [1] “Lorraine Marasigan.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-marasigan-7b0b371/; “Our Work.” Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://fcyo.org.
  46. “Lorraine Marasigan.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-marasigan-7b0b371/; “Bold Strategies, Equitable Practices.” Cricket Island Foundation. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.cricketisland.org.
  47. “Lorraine Marasigan.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-marasigan-7b0b371/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 1938

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $19,813,416 $776,259 $0 $0 $0 $0
    2015 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $19,873,871 $781,707 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $21,112,001 $819,868 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $20,432,549 $826,211 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $19,934,141 $924,686 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $20,288,452 $1,026,015 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Norman Foundation

    147 E. 48th Street
    New York, NY