Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation headquartered in New York, NY. Established in 1996 and founded by the late Doris Duke, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving quality of life through strategic philanthropy. The organization was reincorporated in 2019 under EIN 82-3691183 and became tax-exempt in April 2018.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.2B
+1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$90.3M
-12.4% YoY
Grant Count
289
-17.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$312K
+6.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $108.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future. The organization works across three primary areas:
Arts & Culture
- Championing performing artists and the power of culture to bring people together and cross social divides
- Focus areas include Creative Labor and Creative Conditions, New Platforms for Diverse Voices, and Technologies and the Performing Arts
Nature
- Seeking to preserve, steward and restore nature for all
- Focus areas include Climate-smart Forests and Indigenous-led Conservation
Health & Well-being
- Supporting research to improve human health and advancing efforts to help vulnerable children and families
- Focus areas include New Pathways for Health Innovation, Prevention-oriented Child Welfare, and Racial Equity in Clinical Equations
The foundation also operates a Building Bridges Program that works to elevate U.S. Muslim storytelling, and a Medical Research program that invests in new approaches in the health sciences.
The foundation's core values include Integrity, Excellence, Openness & Imagination, Collaboration, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Grantmaking
The foundation's program staff conducts extensive research to identify gaps and needs that the foundation can address in its supported fields.
Grant Range
$312,000
Average Grant
$312,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily in New York, District of Columbia, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024)
- Total assets: $2.22 billion
- Total revenue: $101.7 million
- Total expenses: $121.6 million
- Net investment income: $79.7 million
- Qualifying distributions: $112.9 million
Historical Comparison
- 2023: Total assets $2.18 billion; Total giving $122.9 million
- 2022: Total assets $2.10 billion; Total giving $105.9 million
The foundation's assets grew 1.8% year-over-year from 2023 to 2024, while annual giving declined 12.4% during the same period.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,220,057,787 | $2,180,074,293 | $2,098,640,934 |
| Revenue | $101,724,041 | $150,483,856 | $138,058,598 |
| Expenses | $121,588,564 | $145,673,550 | $104,046,769 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $112,864,381 | $122,895,784 | $105,903,399 |
| Net Investment Income | $79,736,330 | $101,023,967 | $45,881,315 |
| Distributable Amount | $108,475,810 | $122,576,043 | $115,737,260 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Chamber Music America Inc ($1,027,160), American Forests ($1,010,000), American Society of Hematology ($858,825).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A SECOND CHANCE PITTSBURGH, PA | TO SUPPORT LEADERSHIP TRAINING SPONSORSHIPS AT THE SANKOFA INSTITUTE, FOSTERING THE SUCCESS OF BLACK ADMINISTRATORS IN CHILD WELFARE | $24,000 |
| ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER ANCHORAGE, AK | YURAQ PROJECT | $75,000 |
| ALLEY THEATRE HOUSTON, TX | ALLEY THEATRE SIMULATED ENVIRONMENT FOR THEATRICAL STAGING (SETS) | $75,000 |
| AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT A PILOT LAND CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAM FOR A COHORT OF CALIFORNIA TRIBES, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SHARING LESSONS LEARNED NATIONALLY | $300,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES CAMBRIDGE, MA | TO SUPPORT BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC | $40,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL | TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING CLINICAL ALGORITHMS WITH RACE ADJUSTMENT IN PEDIATRIC CARE | $455,000 |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE STEMM OPPORTUNITY ALLIANCE | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY THE PLAINS, VA | TO SUPPORT THE CONSERVATION OF HAWAIIAN FOREST SONGBIRDS | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN FORESTS WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE TREE EQUITY PROGRAM IN PROVIDING DATA, INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ENABLE URBAN COMMUNITIES TO BETTER PROTECT FORESTS AND EXPAND TREE CANOPY AS A WAY TO ENHANCE EQUITY IN COMMUNITIES | $400,000 |
| AMERICAN FORESTS WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE FOREST-CLIMATE WORKING GROUP (FCWG) | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key executives include:
- Maurine Knighton: Chief Program Officer
- Ben Weitz: Executive Director - Shangri La
- Cynthia Haidar: Director, Investments
- Sacha Spector: Director, Environment Program
- Kevin Mcandrew: Head, Partnerships
- Neel Khairzada: Director, Communications
- Ben Beisswenger: Chief Technology Officer
- Zaki Barzinji: Program Director
The foundation employs 67 people.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAMSHER GILL | CEO/PRESIDENT | 28 | — |
| PETER SIMMONS | COO/TREASURER (THRU 02/2024) | 14 | — |
| ERICA DZIEDZIC | SECRETARY/COUNSEL | 12 | — |
| EILEEN OBERLANDER | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & TREASURER | 11 | — |
| ANTHONY S FAUCI | VICE CHAIRPERSON | 2 | $100,000 |
| WILLIAM WRIGHT | DIR./CHAIRPERSON | 2.5 | $50,000 |
| VISHAKHA N DESAI | DIRECTOR | 2 | $50,000 |
| MARIE LYNN MIRANDA | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| NANNERL O KEOHANE | DIRECTOR | 2 | $50,000 |
| AFSANEH BESCHLOSS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MARY SCHMIDT CAMPBELL | DIRECTOR | 2 | $50,000 |
| CATHERINE MARRON | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | — |
| JOHN TALTY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DAVID S WILCOVE | DIRECTOR | 2 | $50,000 |
| JT BATSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | $50,000 |
| BROOKE JONES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ROCHELLE WALENSKY | DIRECTOR (AS OF 04/2024) | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced grant funding through several initiatives:
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Announces Grants Dedicated to the Well-beingThe 2022 Clinical Scientist Development Awards program
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Announces the 2022 Clinical Scientist DevelopmentGrants dedicated to the well-being of Native Communities
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Announces Grants Dedicated to the Well-beingGrant funding through the Creative Inflections program to support leading jazz artists
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation announced grant funding through itsA $10 million award to health groups focused on curbing racial bias in medicine
Seeking to curb racial bias in medicine, Doris Duke Fund awards $10 millionSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's mission is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future. The organization works across three primary areas: **Arts & Culture** • Championing performing artists and the power of culture to bring people together and cross social divides • Focus areas include Creative Labor and Creative Conditions, New Platforms for Diverse Voices, and Technologies and the Performing Arts **Nature** • Seeking to preserve, steward and restore nature for all • Focus areas include Clima…
How do I apply for a grant from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc?
**Grant Activity** • Total giving in 2024: $90.3 million • Total giving in 2023: $122.9 million • Grant count in 2024: 289 grants • Average grant size: $312,000 • Typical award range: $2,453 to $16,274,102 **Application Process** • Most grants are by invitation • The foundation accepts unsolicited proposals • Open calls are issued from time to time • Applicants can submit a Letter of Inquiry • No open competitions were available at the time of the most recent update The foundation's program sta…
Where does Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily in New York, District of Columbia, and California.
What size grants does Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc awarded 289 grants totaling $90.3M — an average of about $312K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $108.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3691183. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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