Dellora A & Lester J Norris Foundation

Which state are you working in?

Colorado

What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?

Did not apply

If you were funded, tell us the outcome

Other

What year was this experience?

2022

How would you rate this funder's accessibility?

Good

We found this in our research and feel the funder is accomplishing philanthropic goals.\\r\\n\\r\\nFounded in 1979, The Dellora A. & Lester J. Norris is an independent non-profit foundation located in St. Charles, Illinois. The foundation primarily focuses on arts, autism, elementary/secondary education, health care, health organizations, higher education and protestant agencies and churches. The assets of the foundation are managed and administered by a board of directors.Organizations for any of the following purposes: religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition (as long as it doesn’t provide athletic facilities or equipment), or the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.\\r\\n\\r\\nhttps://norrisculturalarts.com/about-us/\\r\\n\\r\\nDellora A. Norris\\r\\nIn 1917, at 15 years of age, St. Charles, IL native, Dellora Angell, inherited a portion of the $38 million fortune of John W. “Bet-a-Million” Gates, founder of the Texas Oil Company (later called Texaco) and maker of barbed wire. Six years after receiving her inheritance, Angell married childhood sweetheart and local cartoonist, Lester Norris.\\r\\n\\r\\nThe couple’s generosity, as well as that of Gates’ brother-in-law, “Colonel” Edward Baker, has contributed greatly to the quality of living in St. Charles and the greater Fox Valley, with funding for construction of Delnor Hospital and Delnor Medical Park, Baker Methodist Church, the Municipal Building, Hotel Baker, and Rockwell Community Center among other facilities.\\r\\n\\r\\nA Red Cross volunteer, Dellora Norris worked as a nurse’s aide at Delnor. She also supported her husband in the founding of Thrift Gardens (later Victory Gardens) as a means to support the country in advance of World War II. Lester, who later received a commendation from the President for this effort, chaired the national Victory Garden Program.\\r\\n\\r\\nIn 1972, the couple donated the 70 acres of land on which the St. Charles East High School sits today and made an initial gift of $4.25 million toward construction of a cultural arts center and a recreation center. The school opened in 1977, followed by the Dellora A. Norris Cultural Arts Center in 1978, the Lester J. Norris Sports Complex in 1980 (with an additional $2.5 million grant from the Norris family), and the John B. Norris Recreation Center (named for one of the couple’s children).\\r\\n\\r\\nDellora died in 1979, at 77, and Lester died two years later, but the family’s legacy lives on, not only through their works but also through their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, several of whom continue to live in the community.

How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its current philanthropic goals?

Good

Very unexpected and generous grant.

If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?

Thank You!

Enter funding details

Received a Large Grant unexpectedly!!!

How many hours did the grant application process take?

0