Svoboda | Graniru | BBC Russia | Golosameriki | Facebook

The Duke Endowment enriches lives and strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina.

We support grantees as they nurture children, promote health, educate minds and uplift spirits

Child family well being

Child & Family Well-Being

All children deserve to grow up safe from maltreatment, supported by nurturing families and caring adults. The Duke Endowment is dedicated to enabling children in the Carolinas to live successful lives.

Health care

Health Care

The Duke Endowment believes that all people can achieve their best health when communities are designed to support healthy lifestyles and when our health care system is able to engage patients and provide holistic care that meets the unique needs of each individual.

Higher education banner

Higher Education

The Duke Endowment supports the four institutions named in Mr. Duke’s Indenture of Trust: Davidson College, Duke University, Furman University and Johnson C. Smith University.

Rural Church banner 01

Rural Church

We are committed to preserving the pivotal role churches play in rural communities. The Duke Endowment supports clergy and congregations — ensuring they have the tools they need to walk faithfully together — as they strengthen rural areas.

Additional focus teal

Additional Focus

Through other Endowment initiatives, and particularly our strategic emphasis on early childhood, we respond to today’s needs and intervene early to keep tomorrow’s problems from taking root.

Committed to the Carolinas: Reflections on a Century

To mark the 100th anniversary of our commitment to the Carolinas, The Duke Endowment connected with many grantee partners from across our history to hear and tell stories about the impact of Mr. Duke’s legacy. Some of the stories were personal; the whole experience was profound. In this 2023 Annual Report, we’ve spotlighted some of those grantees, who tell their stories — in their own voices.

Read Our 2023 Annual Report

100 Years of Commitment to the Carolinas

We are marking 100 years of The Duke Endowment: Established by James B. Duke and inspired by the people of the Carolinas, we invest in a vision for our shared future.

Celebrate With Us

Our Commitment to Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are systematically reviewing our grantmaking and organizational culture through the lens of racial equity, diversity and inclusion to better understand and fight the damaging effects of historic inequities and systemic bias across our work.

Learn More

Latest News & Stories

Get the latest from the Endowment and read more about the impact of the work being done by our grantees and individuals in the field

Blog Rayline smiling outside 1

A Social Worker’s Journey

Tamika Williams, a child welfare grantmaker at the Endowment and former social worker, shares what she's learned about how systems can better support kids and families.

July 18, 2024 | Tamika D. Williams

Blog Foster Care Month istock IMG

Supporting and Strengthening Foster Care Families

As we reflect on National Foster Care Month, we celebrate those who have assumed the role of caregiver for children who need homes.

June 24, 2024 | Tamika D. Williams

Story Foster C Are QA IMG

Q&A with Gaile Osborne, Executive Director of Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina

Gaile Osborne, executive director of Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina, shares her personal story with foster care as well as the work of the Alliance.

June 24, 2024

News Duke Homestead

The Duke Endowment Pledges $2.5 Million to Duke Homestead to Preserve Important N.C. History

As part of its 100th year anniversary, The Duke Endowment has approved a $2.5 million grant to the Duke Homestead State Historic Site in Durham, the largest private monetary gift ever given to a state historic site from a single donor.

May 30, 2024

News Ellie

Ellie Smith Joins The Duke Endowment as a Program Analyst

The Duke Endowment is pleased to announce that Ellie Smith has joined its staff as a program analyst.

May 7, 2024

Blog School Based Health Blog 2024

Opportunity and Learning: The Duke Endowment’s Explorations in School-Based Health

The Endowment's Health Care team shares insights from its decade-long exploration of the benefits of school-based health services.

April 29, 2024 | Stacy E. Warren

See All

Apply for a grant

Select 501(c)(3) organizations in North Carolina and South Carolina may be eligible for grants through The Duke Endowment.

Child & Family Well-Being Health Care Rural Church
Or Edit an Existing Application