The Doris Duke Foundation is a private foundation established in 1996 and headquartered at 444 Madison Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10022. The foundation was incorporated in Delaware in 1934 and received its tax-exempt status in September 1953 (EIN: 13-1655241). It is currently endowed with over $2 billion from Doris Duke's assets and employs approximately 67 people.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.7M
+8.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
-56.1% YoY
Grant Count
135
-47.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-16.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission of the Doris Duke Foundation is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future. The foundation works across three primary areas:
Arts & Culture
- Champions performing artists and the power of culture to bring people together and cross social divides
- Supports performing artists in pursuing new ways of conceiving, producing and sharing their work
- Focus areas include Creative Labor & Creative Conditions, New Platforms for Diverse Voices, and Technologies and the Performing Arts
Nature
- Seeks to preserve, steward and restore nature for all
- Focus areas include Climate-smart Forests and Indigenous-led Conservation
Health & Well-being
- Supports research to improve human health and advance efforts to help the most 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 specialized programs including Building Bridges (elevating U.S. Muslim storytelling), Child Well-being, Medical Research, and Environment programs.
Core Values: Integrity, Excellence, Openness & Imagination, Collaboration, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Grantmaking
The foundation conducts extensive research to identify gaps and needs it can address in its supported fields. While most grants are by invitation, the foundation accepts unsolicited proposals and has open calls from time to time.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York, New Jersey, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $12,728,932
- Total revenues: $3,493,732
- Total expenses: $4,083,715
- Total giving: $1,916,124
- Number of employees: 67
As of December 2023:
- Total assets: $11.8 million
- Total revenues: $3.59 million
- Total expenses: $5.97 million
- Total liabilities: $3.69 million
The foundation is endowed with over $2 billion from Doris Duke's assets. In July 2020, the foundation announced a social bond offering to apply $100 million to strengthen the sectors it funds.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,728,932 | $11,758,296 | $12,499,367 |
| Revenue | $3,493,732 | $3,593,625 | $4,456,621 |
| Expenses | $4,083,715 | $5,974,933 | $523,390 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,039,933 | $4,471,310 | $1,734,833 |
| Net Investment Income | $171,652 | $270,226 | $259,806 |
| Distributable Amount | $207,932 | $207,824 | $250,204 |
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
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Doris Duke Foundation
Child Well-Being National Program Grant
DORIS DUKE FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
DDCF: Environment Program Grants
DORIS DUKE FOUNDATION
Amount
US $100,000 - US $1,000,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Preventing and Improving Clinical Encounters: Sparking National Discussion to Strengthen Health Research
DORIS DUKE FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
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
- Neel Khairzada: Director, Communications
- Kevin Mcandrew: Head, Partnerships
- Ben Beisswenger: Chief Technology Officer
- Zaki Barzinji: Program Director (joined January 2026)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAMSHER GILL | CEO/PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| PETER SIMMONS | COO/TREASURER (THRU 02/2024) | 1 | — |
| ERICA DZIEDZIC | SECRETARY/COUNSEL | 1 | — |
| EILEEN OBERLANDER | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ANTHONY S FAUCI | VICE CHAIRPERSON | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIAM H WRIGHT | DIR./CHAIRPERSON | 0.5 | — |
| VISHAKHA N DESAI | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARIE LYNN MIRANDA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| NANNERL O KEOHANE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| AFSANEH BESCHLOSS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARY SCHMIDT CAMPBELL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CATHERINE MARRON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JOHN TALTY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DAVID S WILCOVE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JT BATSON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BROOKE JONES | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROCHELLE WALENSKY | DIRECTOR (AS OF 04/2024) | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2025 Doris Duke Artist Awards:** The foundation announced 2025 Artist Awards and mobilized its national network to protect creative labor
2025 Doris Duke Artist Awards**Technology Innovation:** The foundation and Mozilla Foundation announced a $6.5 million commitment to ensure performing artists are at the center of technology innovation
Artists Make Technology - Doris Duke Foundation**Performing Arts Technologies Lab:** The foundation announced grants to 20 innovative theater, jazz, contemporary dance, and multi-disciplinary projects through its inaugural Performing Arts Technologies Lab
Doris Duke Foundation Announces Grants to 20 Innovative Theater ...**Award Recipients:** Artists including Kassa Overall and Brandee Younger received 2025 Doris Duke Artist Awards
2025 Doris Duke Artist AwardsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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