The Norcliffe Foundation provides grant support to a wide range of organizations and projects in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. The foundation's primary areas of funding include Arts and Culture, Civic and Community initiatives, Education, Healthcare and Research, and Human and Social Services. The foundation emphasizes collaboration with a community of funders and typically does not act as the largest donor to a project.

Grant amounts vary depending on the project's scope and the organization's capacity. Nearly 60% of the grants awarded are $15,000 or less. When determining an appropriate funding request, applicants are encouraged to consider the range of gifts already committed by other funders, previous grant amounts received from The Norcliffe Foundation, and, for capital campaigns, to limit requests to no more than 10% of the campaign’s private philanthropy goal. The foundation offers support for various funding types, including capacity building, capital and infrastructure projects, challenge or matching grants, general operating support, and program support. It does not fund deficit financing or debt reduction.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, and applicants should allow up to six months for a decision. Organizations must wait twelve months from their last decision or payment date before submitting a new application, except when a grant exceeds $50,000, in which case a twenty-four-month waiting period after the final payment is required.

Eligibility is geographically restricted to nonprofit organizations operating within the eleven Puget Sound counties: Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom. Prospective applicants are encouraged to use the eligibility quiz provided on the foundation’s website to confirm their eligibility before applying.

For further inquiries, applicants can contact The Norcliffe Foundation at (206) 682-4820. The foundation’s office is located at 600 University Street, Suite 2003, Seattle, WA 98101.