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Grant funders / North Carolina / The Duke Endowment

The Duke Endowment

Charlotte, North Carolina  ·  EIN 560529965  ·  Private foundation

The Duke Endowment is a North Carolina-based grantmaker. In its latest 990-PF filing it reported $171.7M in annual giving against $2.77B in assets. This page documents the 1,995 grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for The Duke Endowment — who they fund, what they prioritize, and what to know before reaching out.

$171.7M
Annual giving (FY2020)
$2.77B
Total assets
1,995
Grants tracked
2024
Most recent grant

What The Duke Endowment funds

The Duke Endowment's giving carries a documented focus on adult education, arts & culture, civil rights & social justice, community improvement, criminal justice, and related causes.

Adult EducationArts & CultureCivil Rights & Social JusticeCommunity ImprovementCriminal JusticeDisability ServicesEarly Childhood EducationEconomic DevelopmentEducationDisaster Relief & Emergency Aid

Populations it has supported include black communities, children, disabled, families, foster youth, hispanic communities.

black communitieschildrendisabledfamiliesfoster youthhispanic communitieshomeless populationimmigrants & refugees

Grant history

The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Duke Endowment, by amount:

RecipientLocationGrantYear
Duke University
TO COMMEMORATE THE DUKE ENDOWMENT'S AND DUKE UNIVERSITY'S SHARED CENTENNIAL (ENDOWED).
Durham, NC$21.5M2023
Duke University
TO PROVIDE UNRESTRICTED OPERATING SUPPORT.
Durham, NC$13.5M2023
Duke University
TO PROVIDE UNRESTRICTED OPERATING SUPPORT.
Durham, NC$12.5M2020
Duke University
TO PROVIDE UNRESTRICTED OPERATING SUPPORT.
Durham, NC$12.5M2021
Duke University
TO PROVIDE UNRESTRICTED OPERATING SUPPORT.
Durham, NC$11.5M2022
Davidson College
TO COMMEMORATE THE DUKE ENDOWMENTS CENTENNIAL AND EXPAND STUDENT ACCESS AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.
Davidson, NC$10.0M2023
Blue Meridian Partners Inc
TO SUPPORT THE SPARTANBURG ACADEMIC MOVEMENT, INC. THAT WORKS TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC MOBILITY BY IMPROVING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT ACROSS SPARTANB
New York, NY$9.8M2023
Furman University
TO COMMEMORATE THE DUKE ENDOWMENTS CENTENNIAL, UNRESTRICTED OPERATING SUPPORT DUE TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.
Greenville, SC$9.3M2022
Duke University
TO SUPPORT THE DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND ANTI-RACISM INITIATIVE.
Durham, NC$8.6M2022
Johnson C Smith University
TO COMMEMORATE THE DUKE ENDOWMENTS CENTENNIAL, SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTING THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN IN COORDINATION WITH THE CHARLOTTE MAYORS RAC
Charlotte, NC$8.0M2023
Blue Meridian Partners Inc
TO SUPPORT SCALING OF EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES IN POVERTY.
New York, NC$7.6M2020
Duke University Health System
TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN DUKES CAPACITY AND REPUTATION IN THE SCIENCES BY RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUTSTANDING FACULTY FOR THE UNIVERSITY H
Durham, NC$7.5M2022
Duke University
TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN DUKES CAPACITY AND REPUTATION IN THE SCIENCES BY RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUTSTANDING FACULTY FOR THE UNIVERSITY.
Durham, NC$7.5M2022
Johnson C Smith University Incorporated
WEST TRADE ACTIVATION PLAN | PHASES 1 AND 2 | LAND
Charlotte, NC$7.0M2021
Davidson College
TO STRENGTHEN THE JAMES B. DUKE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM (ENDOWED).
Davidson, NC$7.0M2022

The Duke Endowment giving by year

Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:

2020$171.7M
2021$174.7M
2022$212.3M
2023$220.5M
2024$222.8M

How to apply for funding from The Duke Endowment

The Duke Endowment's public IRS filing does not spell out a formal application process. Foundations of this size often give primarily to organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first contact — not a full proposal.

Is The Duke Endowment the right funder for your nonprofit?

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Frequently asked questions about The Duke Endowment

Does The Duke Endowment accept grant applications?
The Duke Endowment's public filing does not specify an application process. A brief letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first step with a private foundation of this size.
What does The Duke Endowment fund?
The Duke Endowment's grants focus on adult education. Recent recipients include Duke University, Duke University, Duke University. Its full grant history is listed above.
How much does The Duke Endowment give in grants?
The Duke Endowment reported $171.7M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $1.00B over 1,995 grants.
Where is The Duke Endowment located?
The Duke Endowment is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 560529965.
How can I find foundations similar to The Duke Endowment?
Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The Duke Endowment, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.

Find more funders like The Duke Endowment

Foundations similar to The Duke Endowment

Other North Carolina grantmakers with overlapping priorities:

About this profile. This page is built from The Duke Endowment's public IRS Form 990-PF and 990 filings, indexed by Bespoke Grants alongside 13M+ grants from 225,000+ U.S. foundations. Grant figures reflect filings available to date; IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag. Bespoke Grants is not affiliated with The Duke Endowment. Always confirm current giving priorities and application procedures with the foundation directly before applying.