Main Articles Listing: Norton School 3. $800,000 awarded to Norton School by Kresge Foundation The Kresge Foundation has awarded an $800,000 challenge grant to The University of Arizona’s John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences. The grant supports the school’s capital campaign for its new building, McClelland Park, which is currently under construction. The Kresge grant launches the public phase of the Norton School’s $24 million “Campaign Cornerstones,” which started in 2004. Kresge challenge grants require that the capital campaign reaches its fundraising goal by a designated deadline to receive funding. “The Kresge Foundation has challenged us to raise the remaining $2.8 million in new gifts by February 2008,” said Dr. Soyeon Shim, the school’s director. “We are grateful for the many generous supporters of our campaign thus far. The award comes at the perfect moment, renewing our energy in this final phase as we invite old friends and new supporters to help us meet our campaign goal.” The school will celebrate progress on the campaign and construction project April 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McClelland Park, located on the corner of North Park Avenue and East Fourth Street. Construction started last May. Workers are currently erecting the columns and steel beams for the 70,000 square foot complex, which is scheduled for completion in June 2008. “The Norton School at McClelland Park will become known as the standard for excellence and the cornerstone of a bright future in family and consumer sciences,” said Eugene Sander, vice president and dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “A grant from The Kresge Foundation is very prestigious because the foundation is well known for its rigorous application process and for making careful investments. The Norton School can take great pride in this award.” The Kresge Foundation's Capital Challenge Grant Program is designed to assist organizations in accelerating capital fundraising campaigns while building long-term relationships with donors and volunteer leaders beyond a building project's completion. Grant recipients have raised initial funds toward their respective projects before requesting Foundation support. Kresge grants are then made on a challenge basis, requesting the raising of the remaining balance, by a deadline. It is an “all or nothing” challenge. “With the aid of this challenge grant, we hope that your campaign can become an even more strategic opportunity for you to connect with your stakeholders and reach out to new donors, volunteers, participants, and the general community,” said Rip Rapson, president and CEO of The Kresge Foundation. At the end of March, The Kresge Foundation had awarded 41 grants totaling nearly $20 million. In 2006, the foundation awarded 205 grants totaling more than $145 million to organizations in five countries. This award is the UA’s first Kresge Foundation grant since 1991. The University of Arizona Foundation Grant Information, Facilitation and Training (GIFT) Center managed the grant proposal process in partnership with the Norton School. The Norton School is a home for two academic divisions, Family Studies and Human Development, and Retailing and Consumer Sciences. Together, they host three research and outreach institutes or centers, including Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing and Institute for Children, Youth and Families. More information about the school is available at http://ag.arizona.edu/fcs . Learn more about “Campaign Cornerstores” at http://cals.arizona.edu/cornerstone. The Kresge Foundation is a national foundation with $3 billion in assets. Through its grant making programs, the foundation seeks to strengthen nonprofit organizations by catalyzing their growth, connecting them to stakeholders, and challenging greater support through grants. Visit http://www.kresge.org for more information. - Updated: April 27, 2007 [e-Mail me the articles]    -     [Search our articles]    -     [contact us ]     return to media home