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The Duke Endowment

Annual Giving
$248.0M
Grant Range
$50K - $100.0M
Decision Time
3mo

The Duke Endowment

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $248 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $5.02 billion
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 30 days for pre-application response; full timeline varies
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $25,000,000+ (varies by program area)
  • Geographic Focus: North Carolina and South Carolina only

Contact Details

Address: 800 East Morehead Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 Phone: (704) 376-0291 Website: www.dukeendowment.org EIN: 51-0140097

Program-Specific Contacts:

  • Child & Family Well-Being: Phillip H. Redmond Jr., Director
  • Health Care: Lin B. Hollowell III, Director
  • Higher Education: Kristi K. Walters, Director
  • Rural Church: Robert R. Webb III, Director

Overview

The Duke Endowment is one of the nation's largest private foundations, established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke with an initial gift of $40 million plus a subsequent $67 million bequest. Operating for 100 years from its Charlotte, North Carolina headquarters, the Endowment has distributed approximately $5.1 billion in grants since inception. With current assets of $5.02 billion, the foundation distributed $248 million through 376 grants in 2024. The Endowment takes its donor's original intent seriously, focusing exclusively on four program areas specified in Mr. Duke's 1924 Indenture of Trust: Child & Family Well-Being, Health Care, Higher Education, and Rural Church, all serving communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. In its centennial year, the Endowment announced its intent to distribute up to $5 billion over the next 15 years, marking a $1 billion increase from previous projections. More than 85% of total spending goes directly to grantmaking, comparing favorably to similar-sized foundations. Under President Rhett N. Mabry's leadership since 2016, the foundation has emphasized early childhood as an organization-wide strategic focus while maintaining its commitment to data-driven grantmaking that helps proven programs scale faster across the Carolinas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Child & Family Well-Being The Endowment supports organizations working with children, youth, and families who have experienced child abuse or neglect or are at imminent risk of child maltreatment. Three funding categories exist:

  1. Implementation Support: $50,000 - $500,000+ for evidence-based programs including Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Strengthening Families, The Incredible Years, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Triple-P
  2. Innovation Grants: Variable amounts for developing novel approaches when established models are unavailable
  3. Advocacy Grants: Resources for policy advocacy and systemic improvements

Application Method: Pre-application required (deadlines: June 15 and December 15)

Health Care Supports eligible hospitals, academic health centers, and nonprofit healthcare organizations through six priority areas:

  1. AccessHealth Networks: Funding for 30 invited networks (18 in NC, 12 in SC) serving over 82,000 low-income, uninsured people; evaluation data shows 35% reduction in avoidable hospital stays and emergency room visits
  2. Maternal & Infant Health: Evidence-based programs reducing health disparities, particularly for women of color and rural communities
  3. Mental Health: Early identification and prevention programs, emphasizing pediatric services
  4. Oral Health: School-based programs (by invitation only)
  5. Population Health: Community coalitions addressing social determinants of health
  6. Workforce Development: Supporting community health workers and healthcare liaison positions

Grant Range: $50,000 - $5,000,000+ Application Method: Online portal (deadlines: June 15 and December 15)

Higher Education The Endowment limits grantmaking to four institutions named in Mr. Duke's original trust:

  • Davidson College (Davidson, NC)
  • Duke University (Durham, NC)
  • Furman University (Greenville, SC)
  • Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, NC)

Recent centennial grants: $100 million to Duke University (2023), $25 million each to Davidson, Furman, and Johnson C. Smith (2024)

Application Method: Institutions submit proposals through established relationship channels

Rural Church Supports United Methodist churches in communities with populations of 1,500 or less, or areas designated rural by the Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code.

Three focus areas:

  1. Programs recruiting and retaining candidates for ministry; nurturing clergy growth
  2. Structures helping rural congregations optimize their assets
  3. Programs engaging rural congregations with neighbors to implement lasting positive regional impact

Grant Range: Varies; includes annual distribution grants to NC and Western NC Conferences for eligible pastors (no application needed) plus competitive program grants

Priority Areas

Across All Programs:

  • Evidence-based interventions with proven outcomes
  • Programs that can scale and achieve sustainability
  • Initiatives building capacity of organizations and communities
  • Work addressing disparities and serving vulnerable populations
  • Data-driven approaches demonstrating measurable impact
  • Organizations with at least two years of audited financial statements
  • Projects exclusively serving North Carolina and South Carolina

Strategic Emphasis:

  • Early childhood development (organization-wide priority)
  • Trauma-informed approaches
  • Community-based solutions
  • Collaborative partnerships among multiple organizations
  • Addressing social determinants of health

What They Don't Fund

Explicitly Excluded:

  • Organizations outside North Carolina and South Carolina
  • Startups (must have two years of audited financial statements)
  • Traditional childcare, daycare, or after-school programs
  • Early education programs (Child & Family Well-Being focuses on child abuse/neglect prevention)
  • Public schools (for Child & Family Well-Being grants)
  • Non-United Methodist churches (for Rural Church grants)
  • Higher education institutions beyond the four specified in the trust
  • Hospitals and healthcare organizations outside eligible categories
  • Endowment campaigns
  • Annual fundraising events
  • Individuals
  • Political campaigns or lobbying activities

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Leadership:

  • Charles C. Lucas III (Chair) – Charlotte attorney and fourth-generation descendant of Benjamin N. Duke (brother of James B. Duke). Appointed Chair in 2022.
  • Dennis M. Campbell (Vice Chair) – Durham, North Carolina
  • Jean G. Spaulding (Vice Chair) – Durham, North Carolina

Trustees: William Barnet III (Spartanburg, SC), John F.A.V. Cecil (Asheville, NC), Ravenel B. Curry III (New York, NY), Pamela L. Davies (Charlotte, NC), Harris E. DeLoach Jr. (Hartsville, SC), Allyson K. Duncan (Raleigh, NC), Cammie R. Hauptfuhrer (Charlotte, NC), J. Trent Jones (Sun Valley, ID), Clarence G. Newsome (Mint Hill, NC), Minor M. Shaw (Greenville, SC), Hope Morgan Ward (Raleigh, NC), Judy Woodruff (Washington, D.C.)

Executive Leadership

Rhett N. Mabry, President (since July 1, 2016) – A Greensboro, NC native who joined the Endowment in 1992 as Associate Director of Health Care, became Director of Child Care in 1998, and was named Vice President in 2009. On the foundation's approach: "We are an endowment that takes our donor's intent seriously. We're trying to do what Mr. Duke did 100 years ago, and that's to give generously." On strategy: "We believe that a good beginning for children bodes well both for their lives as adults and for their communities."

Senior Staff:

  • Karen H. Rogers – Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
  • William F. Bacon – Vice President / Director of Evaluation
  • Susan L. McConnell – Vice President / Director of Human Resources

Program Directors:

  • Phillip H. Redmond Jr. – Child & Family Well-Being
  • Lin B. Hollowell III – Health Care
  • Kristi K. Walters – Higher Education
  • Robert R. Webb III – Rural Church
  • Meka S. Sales – Special Initiatives

Leadership Quotes

President Rhett Mabry on the foundation's philosophy: "None of this works without our grantees who are on the ground in their communities, who wake up every day to help children, to help families." On staying relevant: "We must continuously adapt to today's world to make the greatest impact with our resources." The planned $5 billion commitment over 15 years reflects "the spirit of Mr. Duke, who wanted to do 'big things for God and humanity.'"

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Child & Family Well-Being and Health Care:

  1. Pre-Application Stage

    • Portal opens approximately 6-8 weeks before deadlines
    • Deadlines: June 15 and December 15 (twice yearly)
    • Pre-application consists of several questions to confirm eligibility
    • Platform: Blackbaud's grants platform (existing Blackbaud users can use current credentials)
    • Cannot be submitted outside designated windows

  2. Response Timeline

    • Within 30 days of pre-application submission, applicants receive either:
      • Invitation to submit full application for upcoming grant cycle, OR
      • Notice that project does not align with current priorities (process concludes)

  3. Full Application (by invitation only)

    • Child & Family Well-Being: Guided to one of three areas (Implementation, Innovation, or Advocacy)
    • Health Care: Streamlined 8-question online application
    • Automated confirmation upon submission

Higher Education:

  • Four eligible institutions submit proposals through established relationship channels
  • No public application portal
  • Direct engagement with Higher Education Director

Rural Church:

  • Annual distribution grants: No application needed (distributed through NC and Western NC Conferences)
  • Competitive program grants: Contact Rural Church Director for current opportunities

Decision Timeline

  • Pre-application response: Within 30 days
  • Full application review: Varies by program and grant size; typically 2-6 months from full application to decision
  • Board meetings: Trustees meet periodically throughout the year to approve grants
  • Grant payment: Some multi-year grants are approved but paid in future years

Success Rates

The Duke Endowment does not publicly disclose application statistics including:

  • Total number of pre-applications or full applications received
  • Approval vs. rejection rates
  • Success rates by program area

What we know:

  • 2024: Approved $252.9 million in new grants (376 grants paid)
  • 2023: Approved $209.8 million in new commitments (355 grants paid totaling $155.4 million)
  • Pre-application screening helps ensure only aligned organizations submit full applications
  • The invitation-only full application process suggests competitive but not published success rates

Reapplication Policy

The Endowment does not specify explicit restrictions on reapplication for declined proposals. Organizations are welcome to submit pre-applications in subsequent cycles. Key considerations:

  • If declined at pre-application stage, organizations should carefully assess alignment with current priorities before reapplying
  • Invited applicants who are unsuccessful at full application stage may contact program directors for feedback
  • Many grantees receive multi-year or recurring grants, indicating relationship-based approach
  • Organizations should demonstrate how their proposal has evolved or better aligns with priorities in subsequent applications

Application Success Factors

Direct Guidance from The Duke Endowment

Evidence-Based Approaches: The foundation values "proven programs and effective practices" and specifically funds implementation of tested programs including MST, PCIT, Strengthening Families, The Incredible Years, TF-CBT, and Triple-P.

Data-Driven Decision Making: President Mabry emphasizes that "trustees want to be data-driven in order to do the most good." Applications should include measurable outcomes and evaluation plans.

Community Listening: Mabry states "the secret is to listen to those in the community." Applications demonstrating community engagement and responsive design are stronger.

Capacity for Scale and Sustainability: The Endowment aims to "help good ideas and practices scale up faster." Show how your program can expand impact and become self-sustaining.

Cost-Effectiveness: The foundation notes its child welfare investment averages $2,500 per family compared to traditional foster care costs of $35,000 per child annually, demonstrating value consciousness.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

Child & Family Well-Being:

  • Thompson Child & Family Focus: $484,168 (three-year grant) to expand foster care services in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender Counties, NC
  • Family Focused Treatment Association: Multi-year grant for therapeutic kinship provider support across three public and three private agencies in NC
  • HALOS (Charleston, SC): Case management and wraparound supports for kinship caregivers, including school advocacy, mental health services, and economic resources

Health Care:

  • Duke Health: $4.5 million to address health impacts of climate change in the Carolinas
  • Novant Health Foundation: $280,000 to expand mental health support services in Brunswick County schools
  • Forsyth Connects (partnership with Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust): Three-year grant for neonatal nurse home visits to every Forsyth County, NC mother

Higher Education:

  • Duke University: $100 million centennial gift (2023) supporting financial aid, doctoral fellowships, and support for students from HBCUs
  • Duke University: $30 million (2024) for computing, AI, and machine learning faculty hiring initiative
  • Duke University: $8 million (2024) for Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Collaboratives

Language and Terminology

The Endowment uses specific terminology applicants should mirror:

  • "Evidence-based programs" not "promising practices"
  • "Children, youth and families who have either experienced child abuse or neglect or those at imminent risk" (not "at-risk youth")
  • "Trauma-informed approaches"
  • "Health disparities" and "vulnerable populations"
  • "Scale and sustainability"
  • "Social determinants of health"
  • "Community anchor institutions" (rural churches)
  • "Networks of care" (health care)

Common Reasons for Declining Applications

Based on guidance and priorities:

  • Geographic ineligibility (outside NC/SC)
  • Insufficient organizational capacity (less than two years of audited financials)
  • Lack of evidence base or data-driven approach
  • Programs serving traditional childcare rather than child welfare/abuse prevention
  • Healthcare organizations not meeting eligibility criteria
  • Higher education institutions outside the four specified
  • Churches other than United Methodist (for Rural Church)
  • Unclear pathways to scale or sustainability
  • Weak evaluation/measurement plans

Tips for Standing Out

  1. Demonstrate Deep Community Knowledge: Show listening and community engagement, not top-down solutions
  2. Quantify Expected Impact: Include specific measurable outcomes and evaluation methods aligned with Endowment priorities
  3. Show Collaboration: Partnerships among multiple organizations strengthen applications
  4. Connect to Strategic Priorities: Explicitly link to early childhood emphasis where applicable
  5. Address Disparities: Demonstrate how your work reduces disparities for vulnerable populations
  6. Build on Evidence: Reference specific evidence-based models or show rigorous innovation when evidence gaps exist
  7. Plan for Sustainability: Show how program will continue after grant period
  8. Emphasize Trauma-Informed Practice: Particularly for Child & Family Well-Being applications
  9. Leverage Existing Relationships: Organizations with existing grants or connections should nurture these relationships through strong reporting and communication

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic Restriction is Absolute: Only organizations serving North Carolina and South Carolina communities are eligible; no exceptions. This is the most fundamental eligibility criterion.

  • Pre-Application is Strategic: The 30-day response to pre-applications allows early filtering. Use this stage to clearly articulate alignment with current priorities and demonstrate eligibility before investing in a full application.

  • Evidence-Based Programs Are Strongly Preferred: For Child & Family Well-Being, the Endowment explicitly supports six evidence-based models (MST, PCIT, Strengthening Families, The Incredible Years, TF-CBT, Triple-P). If your program uses one of these, emphasize it prominently.

  • Early Childhood is the Strategic North Star: President Mabry has established early childhood as an organization-wide focus. Applications addressing early childhood development, maternal and infant health, or prevention of child abuse/neglect align with current strategic direction.

  • Organizational Maturity Matters: The two-year audited financial statement requirement eliminates startups. The Endowment seeks established organizations with proven capacity to deliver programs and manage significant grants.

  • Data and Evaluation Are Non-Negotiable: The foundation's commitment to being "data-driven" means applications must include robust evaluation plans, clear metrics, and demonstrated capacity to measure and report outcomes. Vague promises of impact will not compete successfully.

  • Long-Term Relationships Trump One-Off Grants: Many examples show multi-year grants and ongoing relationships with grantees. Focus on building lasting partnerships through excellent stewardship, strong reporting, and ongoing communication rather than treating each application as a transaction.

References

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