Doris Duke Foundation
The Doris Duke Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its mission is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future, with work spanning arts and culture, nature, and health and well-being.
Doris Duke Foundation at a glance
In short: Doris Duke Foundation gave $1.9M across 135 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in New York. 44% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,916,124
- -56.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 135
- -47.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,194
- -16.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,572
- Total assets
- $12,728,932
- +8.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (50 of 113, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Doris Duke Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from U.S. nonprofit organizations through letters of inquiry, while noting that most grants are by invitation or competitive process. Applicants are encouraged to review the relevant program’s goals and strategies before submitting an inquiry. Individual performing artists cannot apply directly; the foundation directs them to review Arts Program regranting or open-call programs.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing states that there are no deadlines for letter submissions. The website lists open calls with upcoming deadlines of October 21, 2026, for Communities Leading on AI (Humanity AI), and November 18, 2026, for pre-proposals to Demonstrating Health Solutions Science in Action.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing states that there are no deadlines for letter submissions.
- Contact
Application contact: Doris Duke Foundation
Mailing address: 444 Madison Avenue 10Th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (908) 243-3619
Website: https://dorisduke.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Doris Duke Foundation
Child Well-Being National Program Grant
Doris Duke Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
DDCF: Environment Program Grants
Doris Duke Foundation
Amount
US $100,000 - US $1,000,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Preventing and Improving Clinical Encounters: Sparking National Discussion to Strengthen Health Research
Doris Duke Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Doris Duke Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Armenian Apostolic Holy Cross Church of Los Angeles ($21K). Together the top 10 received $184K.
Organizations only. It also paid 22 grants to individuals ($1,531,291), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
877 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 769 grants of 877 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, followed by California (4%), Hawaii (2%), Virginia (2%) and Massachusetts (1%). This describes the location of recipients in that filing year.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 135 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Doris Duke Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 50 of 113 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 40% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 981% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2022) to $4.4M (2023). In 2024 it made 135 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 20 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $1,526,713 |
| Armenian Apostolic Holy Cross Church of Los Angeles Pico Rivera, CA | Matching Gift | $20,850 |
| Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn, NY | Matching Gift | $20,388 |
| Jesus Is Lord Church Honolulu, HI | Matching Gift | $20,000 |
| PBS Foundation Arlington, VA | Matching Gift | $20,000 |
| Pitzer College Claremont, CA | Matching Gift | $20,000 |
| Wellesley College Wellesley, MA | Matching Gift | $18,500 |
| Congregation Beth Elohim Brooklyn, NY | Matching Gift | $16,898 |
| Honolulu FIL-Am Seventh Day Adventist Church Honolulu, HI | Matching Gift | $16,890 |
| New York City Ballet Inc New York, NY | Matching Gift | $15,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Doris Duke Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported 135 grants in 2024, 257 in 2023 and 150 in 2022.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,728,932 | $3,493,732 | $4,083,715 | $1,916,124 | 135 | $2,039,933 | $171,652 | $207,932 |
| 2023 | $11,758,296 | $3,593,625 | $5,974,933 | $4,364,934 | 257 | $4,471,310 | $270,226 | $207,824 |
| 2022 | $12,499,367 | $4,456,621 | $523,390 | $1,651,704 | 150 | $1,734,833 | $259,806 | $250,204 |
| 2021 | $11,142,790 | $2,527,013 | $2,243,065 | $2,143,566 | 168 | $2,234,550 | $568,883 | $263,810 |
| 2020 | $10,576,018 | $2,487,393 | $2,545,885 | $2,064,539 | 167 | — | $259,645 | $217,914 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Doris Duke Foundation reported a distributable amount of $208K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it seeks bold solutions to society’s persistent challenges. Its Arts & Culture work champions performing artists and culture’s ability to bring people together; its Nature work seeks to preserve, steward and restore nature; and its Health & Well-being work supports research to improve human health and efforts to help vulnerable children and families. Listed focus areas include creative labor and conditions, diverse voices, climate-smart forests, Indigenous-led conservation, health innovation, prevention-oriented child welfare and racial equity in clinical equations.
The 2024 grants also went to a range of organizations. Brooklyn Public Library describes its mission as preserving and transmitting knowledge, history and culture and providing Brooklyn residents free access to information. Dance/NYC says it works to foster a more just, equitable and inclusive dance sector through research, advocacy, regranting and knowledge-sharing. Other 2024 grantees included public broadcasting, colleges, a theater organization and a school parent-teacher association.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 135 grants totaling $1,916,124. Individual grants ranged from $75 to $108,000, with a median of $1,572. The largest listed awards were to individual recipients for Doris Duke Artist Awards: one grant of $108,000, ten grants of $100,000 each and one grant of $71,250.
Among named organizational grantees in 2024 were Brooklyn Public Library ($20,388), PBS Foundation ($20,000), Pitzer College ($20,000), Wellesley College ($18,500), New York Shakespeare Festival ($15,000), the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University ($15,000), Hunter College Elementary School Parent Teacher Association ($12,900) and Dance Service New York City ($9,905).
The foundation says most grants are awarded by invitation, through competitive processes or through regranting competitions administered by service organizations. It also reviews unsolicited letters of inquiry from U.S. nonprofit organizations for potential fit, though it says very few grants result from them. Its website says unsolicited inquiries should be submitted electronically and request project and organization information; supplemental materials cannot be submitted at that stage, and staff respond within two months. The 2024 filing states that letters may be submitted in no prescribed format, with no deadlines or restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Samsher Gill as CEO/president; Peter Simmons as COO/treasurer through February 2024; Erica Dziedzic as secretary/counsel; and Eileen Oberlander as director of finance and treasurer. Listed directors include Anthony S. Fauci, vice chairperson; William H. Wright, chairperson; Vishakha N. Desai; Marie Lynn Miranda; Nannerl O. Keohane; and Afsaneh Beschloss.
Doris Duke Foundation is led by Samsher Gill, CEO & President on every filing since 2021; none of the 17 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Samsher Gill
CEO & President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William H. Wright
Director & Chairperson
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Afsaneh Beschloss
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Marron
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David S. Wilcove
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Talty
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marie Lynn Miranda
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Schmidt Campbell
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nannerl O. Keohane
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vishakha N. Desai
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brooke Jones
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jt Batson
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eileen Oberlander
Director of Finance & Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rochelle Walensky
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony S. Fauci
Vice Chairperson
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erica Dziedzic
Secretary & Counsel
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Simmons
COO & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Angela K. Mwanza (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Clive Gillinson (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Edward P. Henry (2020–2021) — CEO & President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Doris Duke Foundation
How much does Doris Duke Foundation give each year?
Doris Duke Foundation gave $1.9M across 135 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.4M across 257 grants.
What is Doris Duke Foundation's typical grant size?
Doris Duke Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,572, and its average grant was $14,194, across 135 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Doris Duke Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Doris Duke Foundation give grants?
Doris Duke Foundation gives mostly in New York: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (36 grants), Brooklyn, NY (10 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Honolulu, HI (3 grants).
Does Doris Duke Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 135 grants with a stated purpose on Doris Duke Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Matching Gift" (113 grants) and "Doris Duke Artist Award" (22 grants).
Who are Doris Duke Foundation's largest grantees?
Doris Duke Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Armenian Apostolic Holy Cross Church of Los Angeles ($20,850), Brooklyn Public Library ($20,388) and Jesus Is Lord Church ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 22 grants to individuals ($1,531,291), which are not listed by name. Together they received 3% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Doris Duke Foundation?
Doris Duke Foundation reported $12.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $208K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Doris Duke Foundation fund?
The foundation says it seeks bold solutions to society’s persistent challenges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Doris Duke Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from U.S. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Doris Duke Foundation's EIN?
Doris Duke Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1655241. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Doris Duke Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Doris Duke Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/doris-duke-foundation-morg_8ffc7587f0ac4ce89182bf5bb3c9b306
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131655241_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Doris Duke Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/doris-duke-foundation-morg_8ffc7587f0ac4ce89182bf5bb3c9b306},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Doris Duke Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Doris Duke Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?