Open nowRolling / open intake
Crayons2Calculators (C2C)
Classroom suppliesK-12 supportResource equity
Who can apply: Durham Public Schools teachers and staff (access to teacher store at no cost to teachers).
About Durham Public Schools Foundation
The mission of the DPS Foundation is to catalyze big ideas and foster community engagement that will transform Durham Public Schools to ensure success and equity for every student.
Focus Areas
K-12 educationschool-based grants and innovationscholarships for high school seniorsteacher resources and classroom supplies (Crayons2Calculators)student mental health and wellnessfamily engagement and organizingcommunity partnership and volunteerism
Who They Fund
teen entrepreneurs / youth leadersK-12 students (school communities)school educators/staffchildren experiencing food insecurity
About Durham Public Schools Foundation
A $252,909 school-level grant to Durham Public Schools is the clearest window into Durham Public Schools Foundation’s approach: it directs most of its resources into school-based support inside Durham Public Schools, alongside smaller awards for student-led, educator, and community projects. The foundation’s work is tied to a district-wide mission to help transform Durham Public Schools so every student has success and equity, and its active programs show that mission in practice through wellness grants, innovation grants, scholarships, and classroom-supply support. Recent awards also show how the foundation mixes district-scale support with targeted school grants. It gave $7,500 to The Empress Haven for a school-level grant at CC Spaulding, and another $6,660 to Urban Sustainability Solutions for a school-level grant at EK Powe. Those awards sit alongside support for initiatives that connect school culture, student wellness, and academic access rather than a single program area. The presence of scholarships, teacher supply support through Crayons2Calculators, and a memorial fund for wellness programs points to a funder built around Durham Public Schools communities and the needs of students, teachers, and school partners.
What Durham Public Schools Foundation Funds
Student wellness is a clear thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. It awarded $7,500 to Echo System for “Sponsorship - Teen Entrepreneurs Tackling Childhood Hunger,” linking youth leadership with food security. Another active program, the WHOLE Schools Fund, supports wellness, safety, connection, mental health, and healing-centered practices across Durham Public Schools. The foundation also supports classroom and educator resources. It gave $5,000 to Teacher Warehouse Inc for educator supplies, matching its Crayons2Calculators program, which provides free classroom supplies to Durham Public School teachers. Postsecondary access is another recurring theme. DPSF runs scholarship programs for Durham Public Schools seniors, including Durham Promise and other awards, to reduce financial barriers to college. The active scholarship programs are designed for students in Durham Public Schools and focus on college readiness and postsecondary access.
How Durham Public Schools Foundation Gives
Typical grants are small and tightly clustered: the 25th percentile is $6,165, the median is $7,080, and the 75th percentile is $7,500. That pattern sits alongside one much larger district-level award, indicating a model that combines broad school support with smaller targeted grants. The foundation is structured as a public-school foundation with active, named programs rather than an individual-giving vehicle; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Several programs accept unsolicited requests, including WHOLE Schools Fund, Innovation Grants, Zachari Hawkins Memorial Fund, College Scholarships, and Crayons2Calculators.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$561K
Total Assets
$2.2M
Total Revenue
$1.9M
Total Expenses
$2.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $6K and $8K, with a median of $7K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$7K
75th Percentile
$8K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
ERIKA WILKINS
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Durham Public Schools Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime