Working
Upstream

2016 ANNUAL REPORT

Letter

President Rhett N. Mabry and Board Chair Minor M. Shaw
MINOR M. SHAW BOARD CHAIR
RHETT N. MABRY
PRESIDENT

In the early 1920s, James B. Duke had set his sights on the Catawba River, looking to use that natural resource to bring electricity to the region. Instead of the river flowing through the Carolinas “in waste to the sea,” his hydroelectric power company would develop dams and lakes to harness the water’s energy.

Much of the nation was in an economic upswing. The Roaring Twenties had swept in, along with a surge of prosperity and optimism. Cities swelled, fueled by the promise of the industrial boom. Mr. Duke wanted people to have those same opportunities in his beloved Carolinas.

Through his private foundation, which he established in 1924, he dreamed of channeling profits from his business endeavors to safeguard children, strengthen health care, bolster education and support spiritual life. In the years after he codified his philanthropic vision, his legacy helped build campuses, hospitals, children’s homes and churches.

Nine decades later, The Duke Endowment has distributed more than $3.5 billion in grants, or $7.9 billion in current dollars. The critical issues that Mr. Duke identified remain the focus of our Child Care, Health Care, Higher Education and Rural Church program areas. His vision for empowering communities across the Carolinas still shapes our grantmaking goals.

But as we adapt to today’s complex challenges, we increasingly focus on prevention and early intervention, supporting work that tackles root causes and promises greater long-term impact. We highlight four examples in our 2016 Annual Report. We invite you to read about outcomes from a program to strengthen families, a statewide cancer screening project, an effort to help high school students aim for college and a summer literacy academy. By moving upstream, investing strategically in effective programs and research, we strive to fulfill Mr. Duke’s mandate to improve lives in the Carolinas by helping organizations achieve sustained and significant change.

To illustrate our theme — “Working Upstream” — Asheville artist Julyan Davis has generously allowed us to share some of his beautiful work. Mr. Davis has painted several western North Carolina waterfalls and rivers, including the ones on these pages. His painting Merry Falls is on display at our Charlotte headquarters. His work bears a special connection to Mr. Duke’s legacy and the place he called home, and we are pleased to present it here.

BOARD CHAIR

PRESIDENT

2016
Grantmaking

The Duke Endowment approved 167 new grants, totaling $146.2 million, some of which will be paid in future years; $129.1 million was distributed through 305 grants, some of which were approved in previous years.

GRANTMAKING BY
PROGRAM AREA

  • Total Grantmaking

    DISTRIBUTED $129,091,031
    $146,207,524 in new grants approved
  • Child Care

    DISTRIBUTED $11,862,383
    $14,509,009 in new grants approved
  • Health Care

    DISTRIBUTED $33,443,420
    $34,317,932 in new grants approved
  • Rural Church

    DISTRIBUTED $14,031,006
    $20,438,873 in new grants approved
  • Higher Education

    DISTRIBUTED $56,098,742
    $56,600,000 in new grants approved
  • Cross Program/Special Opportunity

    DISTRIBUTED $13,655,480
    $20,341,710 in new grants approved

Grantee
Highlights

Child Care

Helping vulnerable children lead successful lives by supporting early intervention, collaborative approaches and evidence-based programs that help serve children and their families more effectively.

HELPING FAMILIES GROW STRONGER

As part of a statewide strategy to prevent child abuse and neglect, Children's Trust of South Carolina is working to increase family resiliency by strengthening bonds between parents and children. READ THE STORY

“If you’re willing to invest the time in yourself and your family,” Brown says, “you will not be the same at the end.”

In South Carolina, The Duke Endowment is partnering with the S.C. Department of Social Services to provide the evidence-based Strengthening Families Program as part of a statewide strategy to prevent child abuse and neglect. Local nonprofits offer the sessions, with training, implementation and evaluation support from Children’s Trust of South Carolina.

The goal is to increase family resiliency by strengthening bonds between parents and children. Parents meet with group leaders to work on building relationships through effective communication, learning how to set limits, and resolving conflict. Children — the target is ages 6 to 11 — meet separately to develop social skills such as controlling their anger and using their “listening ears.” A weekly dinner provides opportunities for practice and coaching.

Now in its third year in South Carolina, the program is offered through 17 agencies serving families in 21 counties. The Duke Endowment has awarded nearly $5 million to fund the work, including nearly $3 million for expansion efforts beginning in 2016.

“We’d love to have a presence in all 46 counties,” says Sherri Caldwell, senior Strengthening Families Program coordinator at Children’s Trust. “Most of the sites have waiting lists. But before we open another location, we look at capacity. Is the community ready? Does it have what it takes to deliver an evidence-based program? We try to be very clear about expectations.”

Evaluation findings show significant improvement in each of the 15 tracked outcomes, including family communication, parental involvement and reduced child aggression. According to the ongoing study, the South Carolina effort “promises to serve as a model for best practices” in program implementation and delivery.

“The Strengthening Families Program is nationally recognized for its success in developing positive family strengths,” says Dr. Jean Spaulding, chair of the Endowment’s Child Care Committee. “Through this collaboration, more parents and children across South Carolina have a chance to benefit.”

Helping Families Grow Stronger
The Duke Endowment has focused its funding on Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina to provide ongoing support to help local agencies implement the program successfully.

$11,862,383 DISTRIBUTED IN 2016

$14,509,009

25 NEW GRANTS

Out-of-home care

$10,304,134

13 NEW GRANTS

Anderson, SC $279,000
New Foundations Home for Children

To implement Together Facing The Challenge, a therapeutic foster care model.

Asheville, NC $250,546
Eliada Homes

To expand Eliada Students Training for Advancement (ESTA).

Brookline, MA $500,000
Kids Insight

To continue supporting the Treatment Outcome Package (TOP).

Charlotte, NC $23,860
Family Centered Treatment Foundation

To develop a randomized controlled trial evaluation of Family Centered Treatment, an in-home services model.

Clinton, SC $561,000
Thornwell Home and School for Children

To support a foster care program.

Columbia, SC $511,000
University of South Carolina Educational Foundation

To develop a health and education information exchange for children and youth in foster care in South Carolina.

Greensboro, NC $3,670,387
Children's Home Society of North Carolina

To expand foster care, early intervention and prevention services.

Greenville, SC $225,000
Pendleton Place for Children & Families

To support the family and child assessment center.

Hickory, NC $589,211
Catawba County Department of Social Services

To expand the Catawba County Child Wellbeing Project.

Jenkintown, PA $2,200,000
National Philanthropic Trust

To expand the YVLifeSet program, an effective case management program for helping youth transition out of foster care.

Morrisville, NC $199,130
North Carolina Institute of Medicine

To coordinate services between county DSS and regional managed care providers.

Raleigh, NC $495,000
Methodist Home for Children

To replicate the Success Coach model for older youth transitioning home from group settings.

Wilmington, NC $800,000
New Hanover County Department of Social Services

To employ predictive analytics for improving child safety.

Prevention and early intervention

$4,204,875

12 NEW GRANTS

Anderson, SC $115,000
Anderson Interfaith Ministries

To support a chief operating officer position and a program manager.

Cary, NC $63,375
NC Council of Community Programs

To support the implementation of Child First NC, an evidence-informed home-visiting model.

Charlotte, NC $150,000
Foundation for the Carolinas

To support the work of the Mecklenburg Economic Opportunity Task Force to reduce unintended pregnancy.

Greenville, SC $47,500
Institute for Child Success

To support an associate policy research position.

Jacksonville, NC $524,000
Onslow County Partnership for Children

To expand the Incredible Years program and evaluate an adaptation for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Lake Forest, CA $1,000,000
Children and Family Futures

To incorporate evidence-based parent training programs with family drug courts.

Murphy, NC $100,000
Family Resources of Cherokee County

To expand the Incredible Years, Strengthening Families Program and Circle of Parents parent support groups.

Raleigh, NC $325,000
North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation

To support the North Carolina Pathways to Grade-Level Reading.

Raleigh, NC $368,000
Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina

To support the Incredible Years and Strengthening Families Program.

Rockwell, NC $512,000
Families First - NC

To expand the use of the Second Step curriculum in five counties.

Wake Forest, NC $100,000
Center for Supportive Schools

To support the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Education Program in high-need North Carolina counties.

Winston-Salem, NC $900,000
Forsyth Memorial Hospital

To expand Durham Connects into Forsyth County.

Health Care

Enhancing the lives of individuals and the vitality of communities by promoting prevention, improving the quality and safety of services and increasing access to care.

FIGHTING CANCER THROUGH SCREENING

In an effort to decrease rates of colorectal cancer, the Center for Colon Cancer Research at the University of South Carolina is working to improve access to screening, especially in high-risk and underserved communities. READ THE STORY

Still, many adults in the United States between the ages of 50 and 75 aren’t getting colonoscopies — and among those who do sign up, about 40 percent fail to keep their appointments.

In South Carolina, an effort is underway to improve access to screening, especially in high-risk and underserved communities, and to support patients through the process. With a $450,000 grant from The Duke Endowment, the Center for Colon Cancer Research at the University of South Carolina is focused on decreasing rates of colorectal cancer across the state.

“When we began our outreach in 2007, colon cancer incidence rates for South Carolina were higher than the national average,” says Dr. Frank Berger, the center’s director. “Now the rates in the state are down by about 30 percent and are lower than the national average. That’s primarily due to more people getting screened.”

The South Carolina effort works through referrals from Federally Qualified Health Centers and free medical clinics, which provide care to high numbers of lowincome and uninsured patients. In the first year, it screened 50 people. By 2016, the number had grown to more than 600. Funding from the Endowment has helped expand the program’s reach to 34 of the state’s 46 counties.

Berger’s team uses an electronic database to monitor the effort and measure its outcomes. At nearly 39 percent, the program’s detection rate for precancerous lesions remains above national averages, which indicates that it’s accurately targeting a population at high risk of developing colorectal cancer.

“Through the database, we know that we are detecting a higher rate of precancerous growths that are removed during the colonoscopy,” Berger says. “In most cases, the patients we are serving would not have had this screening, and would remain at high risk for colorectal cancer.”

Key to the success are navigators who work with patients to explain the colonoscopy procedure, make an appointment with a board-certified gastroenterologist, answer questions about prepping and provide follow-up on test results. The navigators break down barriers to screening and help participants grow comfortable with the procedure. Only 2 percent of those paired with navigators fail to keep their appointments.

“At-risk patients who may never have been screened for colorectal cancer are now getting screened,” says Charlie Lucas, chair of the Endowment’s Committee on Health Care. “As more people are served, more lives will be saved, and we are thrilled that the Endowment has played a role in the success of this program.”

Fighting Cancer through Screening
The Duke Endowment has focused its funding on Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina to provide ongoing support to help local agencies implement the program successfully.

$33,443,420 DISTRIBUTED IN 2016

$34,317,932

65 NEW GRANTS

Access to health care

$15,344,094

33 NEW GRANTS

Ahoskie, NC $429,252
Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Hertford County.

Albemarle, NC $59,180
Stanly Regional Medical Center

To establish a school-based sealant program for children in Stanly County.

Asheboro, NC $400,000
Randolph Hospital

To integrate behavioral health services within primary care practices.

Asheville, NC $400,000
Mission Health Systems

To expand a school-based telehealth program in western North Carolina.

Asheville, NC $560,000
Mountain Area Health Education Center

To implement an early intervention program to reduce Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in Mitchell and Yancey counties.

Asheville, NC $979,153
Mission Health Systems

To expand access to dental care for children in western North Carolina.

Beaufort, SC $500,000
Beaufort Memorial Hospital

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Cary, NC $642,187
Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation

To implement the North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative action plan.

Chapel Hill, NC $1,000,000
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

To establish a program to improve birth outcomes in eastern North Carolina.

Charleston, SC $325,000
Medical University of South Carolina Foundation

To support primary care providers in underserved rural communities in South Carolina.

Charleston, SC $395,000
Medical University of South Carolina Foundation

To inform, guide and support the development of an oral health strategic framework.

Charleston, SC $397,114
Medical University of South Carolina Foundation

To expand a health outreach program for Latino children.

Charlotte, NC $350,000
Novant Health Foundation Presbyterian Medical Center

To expand access to dental care for children and adults in Mecklenburg County.

Columbia, SC $254,671
Smiles For a Lifetime

To expand a school-based dental program.

Columbia, SC $400,000
University of South Carolina Educational Foundation

To establish a training program in telehealth technology.

Columbia, SC $425,000
University of South Carolina Educational Foundation

To support PASOs, a statewide health program for Latino families.

Columbia, SC $500,000
Palmetto Health

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties.

Elizabeth City, NC $400,000
Sentara Albemarle Hospital

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in eastern North Carolina.

Fayetteville, NC $505,000
Fayetteville Area Health Education Foundation

To implement and disseminate mental health crisis planning through psychiatric advance directives.

Gastonia, NC $200,000
Caromont Health

To improve access to oral health care for children in Gaston, Iredell and Catawba counties.

Gastonia, NC $500,000
Caromont Health

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Gaston County.

Georgetown, SC $500,000
Tidelands Health

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Georgetown County.

Greenville, SC $500,000
Greenville Hospital System

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Greenville County.

Greenwood, SC $500,000
Self Regional Healthcare

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Edgefield and Greenwood counties.

Hendersonville, NC $490,000
Park Ridge Hospital

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Henderson and Polk counties.

Hickory, NC $500,000
Catawba Valley Medical Center

To establish a network of care serving the low-income, uninsured in Catawba and Alexander counties.

Laurinburg, NC $250,000
Scotland Memorial Hospital

To establish a diabetes intervention program.

Lexington, SC $585,000
South Carolina Office of Rural Health

To establish a program to support vulnerable primary care practices in South Carolina.

North Wilkesboro, NC $400,000
Wilkes Regional Medical Center

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Wilkes County.

Pinehurst, NC $649,610
FirstHealth of the Carolinas

To establish a school-based dental program.

Smithfield, NC $315,000
Johnston Memorial Hospital

To expand a community network of care for the low-income, uninsured in Johnston and Harnett counties.

Spartanburg, SC $502,700
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Foundation

To establish a telepsychiatry program to integrate mental health services within primary care practices in Spartanburg County.

Wilmington, NC $530,227
New Hanover Regional Medical Center

To expand access to mental health services.

Prevention

$6,462,985

12 NEW GRANTS

Charleston, SC $137,985
Medical University of South Carolina Foundation

To establish a physical activity program for seniors.

Columbia, SC $375,000
South Carolina Hospital Research & Education Foundation

To expand Working Well, a comprehensive worksite wellness program in South Carolina.

Columbia, SC $926,000
South Carolina Hospital Research & Education Foundation

To provide technical assistance for the Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas program in South Carolina.

Durham, NC $749,000
Duke Health

To expand a community-based pediatric obesity program.

Greenville, NC $450,000
Vidant Medical Center

To expand a community coalition to increase capacity and improve population health.

Greenville, NC $525,000
Vidant Medical Center

To develop a community outreach and advance directive program for colorectal cancer in eastern North Carolina.

Hendersonville, NC $450,000
Margaret R. Pardee Memorial Hospital

To expand a community coalition to increase capacity and improve population health.

Lumberton, NC $450,000
Southeastern Regional Medical Center

To expand a community coalition to increase capacity and improve population health.

Morrisville, NC $500,000
Population Health Improvement Partners

To support a continuous quality improvement program in North Carolina.

Morrisville, NC $1,000,000
Population Health Improvement Partners

To support technical assistance for Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas in North Carolina.

Southport, NC $450,000
J. Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital

To expand a community coalition to increase capacity and improve population health.

Winston-Salem, NC $450,000
Rowan Regional Medical Center Foundation

To expand a community coalition to increase capacity and improve population health.

Quality and safety of health care

$12,510,853

20 NEW GRANTS

Anderson, SC $800,000
AnMed Health Foundation

To expand a medical education program in Anderson County.

Asheville, NC $250,000
MemoryCare

To construct a clinic and caregiver education building.

Cary, NC $142,500
North Carolina Hospital Foundation

To support a web-based data collection and analysis program for North Carolina hospitals.

Cary, NC $400,000
North Carolina Hospital Foundation

To support the North Carolina Center for Rural Health Innovation and Performance.

Cary, NC $1,063,800
The Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care

To implement an advance care planning program for hospice patients.

Charleston, SC $181,370
Medical University of South Carolina Foundation

To establish a palliative care externship program.

Charlotte, NC $307,500
Carolinas HealthCare Foundation

To establish an integrated dementia navigator program for patients and caregivers.

Charlotte, NC $350,000
Charlotte Neuroscience Foundation

To expand capacity of the Memory Center of Charlotte.

Charlotte, NC $450,000
Carolinas HealthCare Foundation

To expand an outpatient antimicrobial stewardship network.

Cheraw, SC $350,000
McLeod Health Cheraw

To renovate and expand the emergency department.

Columbia, SC $50,000
South Carolina Hospital Research & Education Foundation

To support the Small and Rural Hospital Conference.

Durham, NC $1,500,000
Duke Health

To develop a caregivers training program for the elderly.

Durham, NC $4,750,000
Duke Health

To assist with obstetrics and gynecology faculty recruitment.

Morrisville, NC $120,000
North Carolina Institute of Medicine

To create a task force to study the feasibility of an All Payer Claims Database for North Carolina.

Morrisville, NC $600,000
North Carolina Institute of Medicine

To publish the North Carolina Medical Journal.

Mount Airy, NC $250,000
Northern Hospital of Surry County

To establish a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program.

Oxford, NC $204,600
Granville Health System

To expand a care transitions program in Granville County.

Raleigh, NC $100,000
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Office of Rural Health and Community Care

To improve health care technology among safety net providers.

Spartanburg, SC $400,000
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Foundation

To improve cancer treatment through implementation of gene sequencing technology and a molecular tumor board.

Whiteville, NC $241,083
Columbus Regional HealthCare System

To expand a care transitions program in Columbus County.

Higher Education

Working through Davidson College, Duke University, Furman University and Johnson C. Smith University to advance the pursuit of educational excellence, make education more affordable for qualified students and support initiatives and programs that benefit communities.

GUIDING STUDENTS TOWARD SUCCESS IN COLLEGE

By placing recent college graduates as full-time advisers in high schools, College Advising Corps is helping students navigate their way to college by focusing on college access and success. READ THE STORY

College Advising Corps is tackling that challenge. By placing recent college graduates as full-time advisers in high schools, the Corps is helping students focus on college access and success.

More than $2 million in funding from The Duke Endowment is supporting the College Advising Corps at Duke University and Davidson College. A $1.1 million grant from the Endowment, along with matching support from the J. Marion Sims Foundation, will bring the program to South Carolina students through Furman University in 2017.

“The aim is to increase opportunities and access for under-represented students and help them find the educational path that’s most appropriate for them,” says Girija Mahajan, program director at Duke.

College Advising Corps began in 2005 with a successful pilot. It now serves more than 600 high schools in 15 states.

Advisers receive training focused on college access, admissions, financial aid, student services and diversity. They become a part of their school’s community, supplementing the counseling staff to help more students and families discover opportunities. They also stress the importance of higher education. In the United States, the unemployment rate for workers with at least a four-year degree is 2.8 percent, compared with a national average of 5.7 percent. But while half of all people from high-income families have a bachelor’s degree by age 25, just one in ten people from low-income families do, according to the Corps.

Students who meet with a College Advising Corps adviser are 20 percent more likely to take three or more SAT/ ACT prep courses, 26 percent more likely to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, 30 percent more likely to apply to college and 24 percent more likely to be accepted.

“This is a critically important program for Davidson, Duke — and now Furman — to be a part of,” says Wilhelmina Reuben-Cooke, chair of the Endowment’s Committee on Educational Institutions. “The rewards for all sides could last a lifetime.”

Guiding Students toward Success in College
The Duke Endowment has focused its funding on Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina to provide ongoing support to help local agencies implement the program successfully.

$56,098,742 DISTRIBUTED IN 2016

$56,600,000

9 NEW GRANTS

Academic excellence

$56,600,000

9 NEW GRANTS

Charlotte, NC $300,000
Johnson C. Smith University

To support the presidential transition process.

Charlotte, NC $1,400,000
Johnson C. Smith University

To provide unrestricted operating support.

Charlotte, NC $2,500,000
Johnson C. Smith University

To retain and attract high performing faculty, staff and administrators.

Davidson, NC $1,400,000
Davidson College

To provide unrestricted operating support.

Davidson, NC $12,000,000
Davidson College

To support faculty recruitment and development

Durham, NC $12,500,000
Duke University

To provide unrestricted operating support.

Greenville, SC $100,000
Furman University

To support the chief academic officer’s institutional initiatives.

Greenville, SC $1,400,000
Furman University

To provide unrestricted operating support.

Greenville, SC $25,000,000
Furman University

To support "The Furman Advantage."

Rural Church

Strengthening rural United Methodist churches and the communities they serve by forming church leaders, building congregational capacity and fostering community engagement.

BEGINNING A NEW CHAPTER

The Ubuntu Academy, a summer literacy program at Monticello United Methodist Church, is working to improve outcomes for students, foster deeper community-congregation relationships and enrich the lives of families and church members. READ THE STORY

“But before the six weeks had ended, he was so eager to get started, he was coming in early each day,” says Donna Grant, director of the Ubuntu Academy, a literacy program at Monticello United Methodist Church near Statesville, N.C. “His reading abilities had increased several levels, and everyone could see how his confidence had grown.”

Ubuntu, an ancient African word translated as “I am what I am because of what we all are,” works to boost literacy by bringing together skilled reading teachers, evidence-informed instruction and elementary school students who struggle with reading. Weekly parent-led workshops engage families in the process. The church provides space, meals and volunteers.

The Endowment began supporting Ubuntu as a pilot at Monticello in 2013. The results were promising, and a second grant funded the program for two more summers. A three-year, $195,000 grant was approved in 2016. The Endowment is also funding STARS, a summer learning camp based on the Ubuntu framework at Seaside United Methodist Church in rural Brunswick County.

The goals are to improve literacy outcomes for students, foster deeper community-congregation relationships and enrich the lives of families and church members.

“Ubuntu helps us claim a broader identity of who we are as a church,” says the Rev. Amy Spivey at Monticello. “This is a rich opportunity to make a meaningful difference in our communities.”

According to many studies, if students aren’t learning during the summer, they can lose ground academically — and once children fall back, the gap in achievement can grow with each year. Intervening early by equipping young students with strong reading skills can help set them on a path toward achievement.

At Monticello and Seaside, an evaluation showed that students gained three months of learning, improved their reading accuracy and speed, and had better attitudes about reading. Volunteers also benefited, saying the program gave them an opportunity to share their gifts. A larger study is underway to verify all findings.

“Many churches want to play a role in helping children learn to read,” says Dr. Dennis Campbell, chair of the Endowment’s Committee on Rural Church. “With the potential for promising outcomes, this work may eventually provide a model to help other programs succeed.”

Beginning a New Chapter
The Duke Endowment has focused its funding on Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina to provide ongoing support to help local agencies implement the program successfully.

$14,031,006 DISTRIBUTED IN 2016

$20,438,873

57 NEW GRANTS

Clergy leadership

$5,793,478

12 NEW GRANTS

Atlanta, GA $325,000
Macedonian Ministry

To expand a clergy renewal program into rural North Carolina.

Charlotte, NC $38,600
Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To support a mental health program for clergy in crisis.

Charlotte, NC $86,000
Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To develop a mentoring and technical assistance program for licensed local pastors.

Charlotte, NC $1,132,114
Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To provide pensions to retired ministers and widows and dependent children of deceased ministers.

Durham, NC $125,000
Duke Divinity School

To support the Director of Field Education and to provide training and counseling service to Field Education students.

Garner, NC $99,200
North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To support a mental health program for clergy in crisis.

Garner, NC $800,516
North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To provide pensions to retired ministers and widows and dependent children of deceased ministers.

Hayesville, NC $5,000
Hinton Rural Life Center

To support participation in a leadership program.

Lexington, KY $2,845,000
Blessed Earth

To deliver, study, and refine a wellness intervention for clergy.

New York, NY $100,000
Auburn Theological Seminary

To support an assessment of experiential education at Duke Divinity School.

Santa Barbara, CA $50,000
Dallas Willard Center

To support an online pastoral burnout prevention and congregational enrichment program.

Whitesburg, KY $187,048
Center for Rural Strategies

To sponsor the Rural Ideas Forum.

Congregational outreach

$2,168,000

21 NEW GRANTS

Advance, NC $100,000
Bethlehem United Methodist Church

To support affordable housing.

Ahoskie, NC $15,000
Ahoskie United Methodist Church

To expand a food ministry program.

Cedar Grove, NC $70,000
Cedar Grove United Methodist Church

To expand a food ministry program.

Charlotte, NC $80,000
Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To engage congregations in service to local schools.

Durham, NC $50,000
Society of St. Andrew

To expand a gleaning network to reduce food waste and supply fresh produce to the underserved.

Franklin, NC $22,000
First United Methodist Church

To expand a community gardening program.

Garner, NC $100,000
Harbor District

To support a home repair ministry.

Henderson, NC $26,000
First United Methodist Church

To support outreach to Hispanic children.

Jefferson, NC $30,000
Jefferson United Methodist Church

To support a food pantry.

Kinston, NC $850,000
Sharon United Methodist Church

To support affordable housing.

Lenoir, NC $21,000
Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church

To support a food pantry.

Reidsville, NC $150,000
Woodmont United Methodist Church

To support a food ministry program.

Roxboro, NC $50,000
Salem United Methodist Church

To expand a food ministry program.

Sanford, NC $180,000
Jonesboro United Methodist Church

To expand Hispanic community outreach.

Simpson, NC $10,000
Salem United Methodist Church

To implement a food ministry program.

Spruce Pine, NC $60,000
Spruce Pine United Methodist Church

To pilot a reading enrichment program.

Statesville, NC $195,000
Monticello United Methodist Church

To support the Ubuntu Academy, a summer literacy program.

Summerfield, NC $20,000
Glencoe United Methodist Church

To expand a church-school literacy partnership.

Warrensville, NC $40,000
Warrensville United Methodist Church

To expand a countywide backpack nutrition program.

Warrensville, NC $45,000
Clifton United Methodist Church

To increase the distribution of produce through hunger ministries.

Wilkesboro, NC $54,000
Appalachian District

To expand a literacy tutoring program.

Rural church development

$12,477,395

24 NEW GRANTS

Andrews, NC $85,000
Andrews United Methodist Church

To expand a community outreach program.

Asheville, NC $4,000,000
Givens Estates

To support senior affordable housing.

Bryson City, NC $115,000
Bryson City United Methodist Church

To coordinate congregational outreach efforts in Swain County.

Cameron, NC $950,000
Solid Rock United Methodist Church

To support ministry programming.

Charlotte, NC $2,775,750
Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To assist rural churches in long-range planning.

Danbury, NC $168,000
Danbury Community Church

To renovate underutilized space for community programming.

Denver, NC $100,000
Tucker's Grove United Methodist Church

To renovate a historic church structure.

Durham, NC $175,000
Corridor District

To support a prison ministry program.

Durham, NC $500,000
Corridor District

To enhance clergy and congregational capacity for healthy eating and local food system engagement.

Efland, NC $7,500
Efland United Methodist Church

To develop a facility expansion plan to support food ministries.

Garner, NC $370,000
North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church

To expand a leadership development program for Latino lay persons.

Hayesville, NC $125,000
Hinton Rural Life Center

To build an outdoor worship center.

Hiddenite, NC $150,000
Pisgah United Methodist Church

To build a family life center.

Lumberton, NC $284,200
Robeson County Church and Community Center

To support program expansion.

New Bern, NC $150,000
Rhems United Methodist Church

To build a fellowship hall.

Newport, NC $65,000
St. James United Methodist Church

To build an addition for a church-based food pantry.

Oak Island, NC $150,000
Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries of NC

To expand a prison ministry program.

Pittsboro, NC $1,825,610
Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA

To expand and coordinate food ministry programs.

Raleigh, NC $50,000
North Carolina Council of Churches

To support a Come to the Table program coordinator.

Roxboro, NC $86,000
Lea's Chapel United Methodist Church

To renovate church facilities to support food and disaster relief programs.

Surf City, NC $40,000
Faith Harbor United Methodist Church

To renovate a food pantry for expanded service.

Taylorsville, NC $75,000
First United Methodist Church

To renovate a fellowship hall for food ministry expansion.

Todd, NC $190,335
Blackburn's Chapel United Methodist Church

To design and implement an asset-based community development program.

Warrenton, NC $40,000
Warren Plains United Methodist Church

To design and implement a collaborative healthy food access program for students.

Financials

A GROWING INVESTMENT

$107 million to$3.37BSince 1925

Since James B. Duke’s death in 1925, the assets of The Duke Endowment have achieved significant growth, from $107 million to $3.37 billion. During the same time, over $3.5 billion has been distributed in grants.

GRANTS AND EXPENSES

80%
of the Endowment’s spending goes directly to grantmaking.
READ MORE

INVESTMENTS

2016 INVESTMENT RETURNS

6.1%

Last ten years

2016 TOTAL ASSETS

$3.37B

Last ten years

Leadership

TRUSTEES

  • Minor M.
    Shaw

    Chair
    Greenville, SC
  • Dennis M.
    Campbell

    Vice Chair
    Durham, NC
  • Mary D.T.
    Jones

    Vice Chair
    Abingdon, VA
  • William
    Barnet III

    Spartanburg, SC
  • John F.A.V.
    Cecil

    Asheville, NC
  • Ravenel B.
    Curry III

    New York, NY
  • Harris E.
    DeLoach Jr.

    Hartsville, SC
  • Constance F.
    Gray

    Winston-Salem, NC
  • Thomas S.
    Kenan III

    Chapel Hill, NC
  • Charles C.
    Lucas III

    Charlotte, NC
  • Wilhelmina M.
    Reuben-Cooke

    Alexandria, VA
  • Russell M.
    Robinson II

    Charlotte, NC
  • Jean G.
    Spaulding

    Durham, NC
  • Kenneth D.
    Weeks Jr.

    Charlotte, NC
  • Judy
    Woodruff

    Washington, DC

STAFF

  • Ashleigh J. Allessio

    Senior Administrative Specialist, Health Care
  • William F. Bacon

    Director, Evaluation
  • Chris M. Collins

    Associate Director, Health Care
  • Todd W. Dalrymple

    Research and Program Analyst
  • Ronda S. Dwyer

    Senior Administrative Specialist, Finance
  • Nancy L. Edwards

    Administrative Specialist, Health Care
  • Eric E. Frazier

    Digital Communications Strategist
  • Paula W. Greene

    Events Manager
  • Janet B. Haas

    Senior Administrative Specialist, Evaluation
  • Melinda O. Hardin

    Accounting Specialist
  • Anna U. Harreveld

    Senior Administrative Specialist, Higher Education
  • Charisma J. Hibbler

    Fellow
  • Kate G. Hiley

    Senior Administrative Specialist, Child Care
  • Lin B. Hollowell III

    Director, Health Care
  • Will A. Jones

    Fellow
  • Julie A. Kemp

    Senior Administrative Specialist, Health Care
  • Jeri F. Krentz

    Associate Director, Communications
  • Rhett N. Mabry

    President
  • Jena M. Manilla

    Evaluation Analyst
  • Tania G. Mapes

    Human Resources Generalist
  • Trena McClure

    Senior Administrative Specialist, Rural Church
  • Susan L. McConnell

    Director, Higher Education
    Director, Human Resources
  • Arthur E. Morehead IV

    Vice President/General Counsel
  • Laura A. Peres

    Project and Facilities Manager
  • Charity L. Perkins

    Director, Communications
  • Phillip H. Redmond Jr.

    Director, Child Care
  • Kristen R. Richardson-Frick

    Program Officer, Rural Church
  • Karen H. Rogers

    Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
  • Meka S. Sales

    Director, Special Initiatives
  • Matthew D. Sharp

    Director, Information Technology
  • Natalie C. W. Smith

    Financial and Program Analyst
  • Eric D. Stevens

    Administrative Specialist
  • K. Todd Walker

    Managing Director, Investments
  • Stacy E. Warren

    Program Officer, Health Care
  • Kimberly M. Webb

    Executive Assistant, President's Office
  • Robert R. Webb III

    Director, Rural Church
  • Anita W. West

    Accounting Manager
  • Tamika D. Williams

    Associate Director, Child Care
  • Lily H. Zhang

    Controller
  • Diana Zilberdrut

    Project Specialist, Communications/Investments

News

  • News image

    FOOD LINC

    With growing demand for locally-produced food, experts are looking for better ways to connect rural farmers — and what they produce — to local people who need healthy food. That’s the goal behind Food LINC, a new U.S. Department of Agriculture program that launched in 10 regions across the country with nearly $3 million in private and federal funding. The Duke Endowment is supporting the effort in eastern North Carolina with a three-year, $800,000 grant aimed at helping rural United Methodist congregations play a bigger role in the local economy.
  • News image

    PREVENTION AND FAMILY RECOVERY

    The Robeson County Family Drug Treatment Court in North Carolina is one of four courts in the country chosen to participate in the Prevention and Family Recovery Initiative. By offering evidence-based services aimed at strengthening parenting skills and helping children thrive, the goal is to improve wellbeing among at-risk families and to prevent the recurrence of child abuse and neglect. Funding from The Duke Endowment is supporting the program in Robeson County; the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has funded the effort in Tucson, San Francisco and Ithaca, N.Y. Early evaluation results are positive. In Robeson County, nearly 40 percent of families have successfully reunified. Of those children, not one has returned to foster care.
  • News image

    PAY FOR SUCCESS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

    The South Carolina Pay for Success project will bring Nurse-Family Partnership’s evidence-based program to an additional 3,200 first-time mothers and their babies enrolled across the state over the next four years. Announced in February 2016, this was the nation’s first Pay for Success project aimed at improving health outcomes for mothers and children living in poverty. Private and philanthropic funders include The Duke Endowment, Blue Meridian Partners, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation, The Boeing Company, Greenville First Steps, and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
  • News image

    SUPPORTING THE FURMAN ADVANTAGE

    In October, Furman University announced an ambitious effort to transform the student experience and address critical community issues through a new strategic plan called The Furman Advantage. Launched with $47 million from the Endowment, The Furman Advantage combines a liberal arts education with immersive experiences outside the classroom and guarantees that every incoming student has the opportunity to engage in real-world experiences that connect to classroom learning.
  • News image

    RETIREMENTS

    In 2016, we said goodbye to long-time staff members Gene Cochrane, Mary Piepenbring and Terri Honeycutt, and wished them well in retirement.

    Gene, our president since 2005, joined the Endowment in 1980. He directed our Health Care program area from 1991 to 2002 and Higher Education from 2005 to 2012.

    Mary, a vice president since 2009, joined our staff in 2000. She directed our Health Care program area and oversaw the Endowment’s Evaluation Department.

    Terri joined the Endowment in 1975. After working in the Health Care program area as a senior administrative assistant, she was named corporate secretary in 2000.

    We are grateful for their many years of extraordinary service.

  • News image

    HEALTHY PEOPLE, HEALTHY CAROLINAS

    With rates of diabetes, heart disease and unhealthy weight persistently high across the Carolinas, The Duke Endowment’s Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas initiative is helping communities implement evidence-based programs that focus on promoting healthy lifestyles. Through local coalitions, the initiative involves leaders from area organizations in developing ways to engage residents in their health. Performance metrics are monitored to help the coalitions improve and learn. Since 2015, the Endowment has expanded its funding commitment to 10 coalitions in North Carolina and five in South Carolina.
  • News image

    TELLING OUR STORY WITH ART

    The inspirational paintings throughout our 2016 Annual Report are the creations of Julyan Davis, an artist in Asheville, N.C. His oil on canvas, Merry Falls, hangs outside our Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Conference Center. Davis was born in England and received his B.A. in painting and printmaking from the Byam Shaw School of Art in London. A devoted reader of Southern literature and an admirer of Southern music, he finds inspiration in the history, culture and natural beauty of the western part of North Carolina. We thank him for allowing us to share examples of his work on these pages.

    For more information on Merry Falls and other featured works of art, please visit our website.

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