Norway House Foundation
Promoting educational and cultural exchange between Northern California and Norway
Norway House Foundation (NHF) funds programs promoting educational and cultural exchange between Northern California and Norway. We support fellowships for Norwegian students to study in Northern California, scholarly exchange between Norway and Northern California, and programs of Norwegian cultural interest.
NHF is dedicated to honoring and preserving the memory of the Norwegian seafarers who risked their lives for the Allied cause in World War II.
“We hope that in a small way we are returning to Norway the assistance that the seamen from Norway received from the original Norway House, established by Mr. Christensen’s gift and funded in part for many years by the Norwegian government.”
Our Mission
Funding programs promoting educational and cultural exchange between Northern California and Norway.
Supporting fellowships for Norwegian students to study in Northern California, scholarly exchange between Norway and Northern California, and programs of Norwegian cultural interest.
Honoring and preserving the memory of the Norwegian seafarers who risked their lives for the Allied cause in World War II.
Grant Programs Offered
To support its mission, Norway House Foundation is offering two grant programs.
NHF Gradute Fellowships may be used for tuition, room and board, books, and travel expenses. Awards may be renewable, depending upon the candidate’s academic progress, program requirements and performance.
NHF Cultural, Charitable, and Professional Grants supports cultural, charitable and professional development programs that further the Norway House Foundation’s mission.
History of Norway House Foundation
The foundation has its origin in the Second World War when Norwegian sailors were stranded in San Francisco between ship assignments. Lars Christensen, Sr., a Norwegian shipowner, agreed to purchase a house in the city to serve as a temporary residence for sailors.
Norway House was established as a California non-profit, charitable corporation in 1942, and title to the property was transferred to the corporation. When shipping changed, and Norwegian sailors stopped coming to the San Francisco Bay area, the property was sold, and the funds formed the basis for Norway House Foundation.
Partner Organizations
Organizations aligned with our mission of promoting educational and cultural exchange between Northern California and Norway and honoring and preserving the memory of the Norwegian seafarers who risked their lives for the Allied cause in World War II.
The Royal Norwegian Consulate General in San Francisco is representing Norway and looking after the interests of Norwegian citizens and businesses in its area of jurisdiction.
The Norway-America Association (NORAM) is a non-profit membership association whose purpose is to strengthen the bonds between Norway and North America.
The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) promotes firsthand exchange of intellectual and creative influence between the United States and the Nordic countries.
The Norwegian Seamen’s Church in San Francisco is a gathering place for seafarers, residents and Norwegians on study stays and job exchanges in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Scandinavian Consortium for Organizational Research at Stanford University facilitates inquiry in organizational social science among a transnational network of scholars.
The Department of Scandinavian at University of California at Berkeley offers teaching and research on the languages, literatures, and cultures of the Nordic countries.
The Scandinavian School and Cultural Center in San Francisco is a full time Scandinavian language immersion preschool and Cultural Center.
The Nordic Center at University of California at Berkeley serves as a vibrant, interdisciplinary platform that brings together the Nordics to UC Berkeley and UC Berkeley to the Nordics.