Jessie Ball duPont Religious Charitable & Educational Fund

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $13-20 million
Total Assets: $375 million
Grant Range: $5,000 - $500,000
Average Grant: $25,000
Number of Grantees: 300+ organizations
Geographic Focus: Florida, Delaware, Virginia (with occasional grants in Maryland, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C.)
Application Method: Invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 40 E Adams Street, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: Available through website
Email: info@dupontfund.org
Website: www.dupontfund.org
Grantee Portal: dupont.fluxx.io

Overview

The Jessie Ball duPont Religious Charitable & Educational Fund was established in 1976 from the estate of Jessie Ball duPont, whose $40 million bequest has grown to approximately $375 million in assets. The Fund honors Mrs. duPont's lifetime of philanthropy by continuing to support the same institutions she supported during the five-year period ending December 31, 1964. Since inception, the Fund has distributed over $441 million in more than 11,000 grants. Under President Mari Kuraishi's leadership (appointed 2019), the Fund has embraced a mission to create "communities of belonging" through grantmaking, impact investing, research, and partnerships. The Fund is a national leader in impact investing, with more than half of its endowment invested in mission-aligned vehicles. The organization made headlines in 2024 with a $10 million gift to endow the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, one of journalism's most prestigious honors.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Fund organizes its grantmaking around four funding initiatives:

1. A Sense of Place

Civic engagement and democracy initiatives
Leadership development and organizational capacity building
Affordable housing development and maintenance
Priority given to low-income communities, communities of color, and marginalized populations
Focus on creating community cohesion through comfort, safety, and local pride

2. Equitable Access to Opportunities

Educational gains for low-income and first-generation youth
Enhancement of cultural and religious institutions
Improving nonprofit leadership diversity
Eliminating unconscious bias through internal audits and policy changes
Higher education support

3. Impact Investing

Low-cost loans to socially beneficial companies
Environmental conservation projects
Affordable housing initiatives
Support for businesses owned by women and/or people of color
Program-Related Investments (PRIs) and Mission-Related Investments (MRIs)

4. The Jessie

Grantmaking specifically for downtown Jacksonville, Florida
Support for the Jessie Ball duPont Center, a nonprofit hub providing below-market office space
Community revitalization and economic development

Priority Areas

Sectors Funded:

Higher education (Jacksonville University, McDaniel College, Goucher College, Meredith College, Berea College, Bridgewater College)
Religious institutions and churches
Health and human services (WeCareJax, St. Vincent's Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Washington D.C., Guadalupe Free Clinic)
Community development (Lancaster Community Library, Florida Historical Society, West End Neighborhood House)
Social services (Salvation Army, Bay Aging, Children's Home Society of Florida, Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center)
Youth and family services
Affordable housing (Jacksonville Affordable Housing Fund, Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation, REACH Riverside Development)
Cultural and preservation organizations

Focus Populations:

Low-income individuals and families
First-generation students
Communities of color
Marginalized populations
People in need in Florida, Delaware, and Virginia

What They Don't Fund

The Fund has strict eligibility limitations and does not fund organizations outside its defined universe except in limited discretionary circumstances.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Mari Kuraishi – President (since January 2019)
- Co-founder of GlobalGiving (2002), which facilitated over $514 million in giving by more than a million donors
- Named one of Foreign Policy's 100 Global Thinkers in 2011 for "crowdsourcing worldsaving"
- On her vision: "We were convinced that individual donors would give if they had a platform through which to do it. We were also sure that changes in technology would transform people's sense of proximity, and we knew that proximity was a key driver of generosity."
Ken Shuyama – Chief Operating Officer
Elle Hempen – Vice President of Programs
Collin Mullis – Chief of Staff
Chris Crothers – Director of Impact Investing
Sondra Fetner – Director of Placemaking

Board of Trustees

Elizabeth Kiss – Chair (President, Union College)
Chuck Redmond – Vice Chair (Executive Vice President, Impact Experience)
Rev. Jen Bailey – Trustee (Executive Director, Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund)
Anna Escobedo Cabral – Trustee (Partner, The Cabral Group)
Rev. Canon Dr. J. Allison DeFoor – Trustee (President, North Florida Land Trust)
Marty Lanahan – Trustee (Executive Vice President, First Horizon Bank)
David Miller – Trustee (Co-Founder & Board Member, Brightway Insurance; appointed February 2024)

The board was expanded from four to seven trustees following a landmark 2003 court case, bringing expertise in nonprofit, higher education, religious, and banking/investment sectors.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund makes grants by invitation only and does not entertain unsolicited proposals. Eligibility is strictly limited to organizations that received a contribution from Mrs. Jessie Ball duPont between January 1, 1960 and December 31, 1964. The Fund has consistently worked with the same 300+ organizations for over 30 years.

Proving Eligibility:
Eligibility is determined by either examining Mrs. duPont's personal or tax records, or by the applicant presenting written, verifiable evidence of having received a contribution during the eligibility period.

Limited Discretionary Exception:
The trustees may, at their discretion, consider grants to other organizations whose work provides relief to those in need in Florida, Delaware, or Virginia. However, these discretionary grants are also made by invitation only.

For Invited Organizations:
When organizations receive an invitation to apply, they must complete an application form that includes:

Current year's organizational budget and/or project budget
Listing of board of directors and key personnel with their affiliations
Evaluation plan showing how project results will be measured
Brief organizational history and mission description
Qualifications of key personnel

The Fund acknowledges receipt of proposals and may arrange a conference call or site visit after review.

Decision Timeline

A professional staff reviews and evaluates requests from grantees and makes recommendations to the trustees. Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed, but the Fund awards approximately 224 grants annually (2023 data), suggesting a rolling or regular review process for invited organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations within the eligible universe may apply when invited. The Fund has maintained consistent relationships with its 300+ eligible organizations for over 30 years, suggesting ongoing funding relationships rather than one-time grants.

Application Success Factors

Since this is an invitation-only funder with a defined universe of eligible organizations, success factors focus on how eligible organizations can strengthen their applications:

Innovation and Reach:
The Fund explicitly encourages recipients to "be innovative and think beyond the people they normally assist," suggesting they value creative approaches to social challenges.

Alignment with Strategic Priorities:
Organizations should clearly demonstrate how their work advances one or more of the Fund's four funding initiatives: A Sense of Place, Equitable Access to Opportunities, Impact Investing, or The Jessie (for Jacksonville-area organizations).

Equity and Inclusion Focus:
Given the Fund's emphasis on racial justice, equity, and serving marginalized populations, applications should clearly articulate how the proposed work addresses systemic barriers and serves underrepresented communities.

Measurable Impact:
The requirement for "how project's results will be evaluated or measured" indicates the Fund values data-driven approaches and clear outcomes.

Strong Organizational Capacity:
The emphasis on board composition and key personnel qualifications suggests the Fund assesses organizational strength and leadership quality.

Mission Alignment with Mrs. duPont's Legacy:
Understanding that this Fund perpetuates Jessie Ball duPont's lifetime charitable work can help eligible organizations frame their requests in terms of continuing her philanthropic vision.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Eligibility is everything: Unless your organization received funding from Mrs. duPont between 1960-1964, you cannot access this funding source except in rare discretionary cases for relief work in FL, DE, or VA
No public application process: This is strictly invitation-only; building or maintaining relationships with Fund staff is essential for eligible organizations
Think big on innovation: The Fund encourages organizations to "think beyond the people they normally assist," signaling openness to ambitious, creative proposals
Equity lens is critical: With explicit focus on racial justice, unconscious bias elimination, and serving marginalized communities, proposals should center equity throughout
Impact investing opportunities: Beyond traditional grants, the Fund offers PRIs and other investment vehicles that may provide larger capital for eligible organizations
Long-term relationships: With 30+ years of consistent funding to the same 300+ organizations, this funder values sustained partnerships over transactional grantmaking
Jacksonville focus: Organizations working in downtown Jacksonville have additional opportunities through "The Jessie" initiative, which represents a major investment in the city's nonprofit sector

References

Jessie Ball duPont Fund Official Website - Accessed December 24, 2024
GuideStar Profile - Jessie Ball DuPont Religious Charitable & Educational Fund - Accessed December 24, 2024
Inside Philanthropy - Jessie Ball duPont Fund - Accessed December 24, 2024
Wikipedia - Jessie Ball duPont Fund - Accessed December 24, 2024
Philanthropy News Digest - Mari Kuraishi, President, Jessie Ball duPont Fund Interview - Accessed December 24, 2024
duPont Fund News - Sherry Magill to Step Down - Accessed December 24, 2024
duPont Fund News - David Miller Named Trustee - Accessed December 24, 2024
Foundation Directory - Candid - Accessed December 24, 2024
Jessie Ball duPont Fund Our Team - Accessed December 24, 2024
Jessie Ball duPont Fund Our Trustees - Accessed December 24, 2024