About Duke Endowment
The Duke Endowment concentrates philanthropic support in the Carolinas with a strong emphasis on higher education, preK–12 and early childhood initiatives, and health systems strengthening. It funds a mix of large research universities and regional colleges (often with scholarships/endowments), intermediary organizations that scale evidence-based family and early-childhood programs, and faith-based Methodist institutions. Recurrent multi-year and endowed commitments signal long-term partnerships aimed at building institutional capacity, scholarship pipelines, and community-based service delivery across North and South Carolina.
Focus Areas
Higher education endowments and scholarship programs at Carolina colleges (e.g., Duke, Davidson, Furman, Johnson C. Smith)Early childhood and prenatal-to-age-3 systems support and scaling (e.g., Ready for School Ready for Life, county-level initiatives)Regional healthcare capacity, access and equity initiatives (e.g., Duke Health, MUSC, Atrium Health; workforce and telehealth expansions)Intermediary and scaling partners for poverty and mobility solutions (e.g., Blue Meridian Partners, collective-impact backbone organizations)United Methodist faith community support and clergy/faith-based program deployment in the Carolinas
Who They Fund
About Duke Endowment
The Duke Endowment’s recent grantmaking is anchored by large, recurring commitments to Carolina institutions, especially Duke University, Davidson College, and Johnson C Smith University. One of its clearest patterns is long-horizon support for higher education through endowed funds, unrestricted operating support, and scholarship programs, alongside multi-year investments in faculty strength and institutional capacity. That same approach shows up in health, early childhood, and community initiatives, where the foundation backs organizations that can carry programs across counties and systems. A 2025 gift of $21,500,000 to Duke University commemorated the Duke Endowment’s and Duke University’s shared centennial through an endowed grant, and a separate $13,541,600 award provided unrestricted operating support. Davidson College also appears as a major recipient, with grants to strengthen the James B. Duke Scholarship Program and to expand student access and experiential learning. The foundation’s support is not limited to universities: it also funds intermediary organizations such as Blue Meridian Partners Inc to advance economic mobility and effective solutions for families in poverty, and it has made grants to community-based organizations responding to Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina.
What Duke Endowment Funds
In higher education, The Duke Endowment combines endowment-building with program support. It gave $10,000,000 to Davidson College to commemorate the centennial and expand student access and experiential learning, and another $5,367,163 to strengthen the James B. Duke Scholarship Program. Its health-related giving emphasizes capacity rather than one-time project work. The foundation awarded $7,500,000 to Duke University Health System and $6,750,000 to Duke University Health System Inc. to recruit and retain outstanding faculty for the university health system. The Duke Endowment also supports racial equity and institutional planning at Johnson C Smith University. In 2025, it gave $8,000,000 to support implementation of the university’s new strategic plan in coordination with the Charlotte Mayor’s racial equity campaign. For family stability and early learning, it gave $4,853,316 to Ready for School Ready for Life for prenatal-to-age-3 evidence-based programs in Guilford County.
How Duke Endowment Gives
The Duke Endowment’s typical grant size is $100,000 at the 25th percentile, $200,000 at the median, and $350,000 at the 75th percentile, but its recent portfolio also includes multimegagift commitments to a small set of institutions. The pattern is strongly recurring: Duke University, Davidson College, Furman University, and Johnson C Smith University each appear multiple times across 2023 and 2025, often with both endowed and expendable support. The funder is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not make program-related investments. Its grants also show a preference for institutional strengthening, operating support, and long-term commitments rather than isolated one-off awards.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$251.2M
Total Assets
$3.6B
Total Revenue
$370.6M
Total Expenses
$301.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $100K and $350K, with a median of $200K.
25th Percentile
$100K
Median
$200K
75th Percentile
$350K
Geographic Reach
Regional14 states funded
About 69% of grants go to recipients in NC.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
RHETT N MABRY
PRESIDENT
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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