Student Academic Success: One-Year Grant

Student Academic Success: One-Year Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Mary Duke Biddle Foundation
Amount: US $5,000 - US $10,000
Last Updated: January 06, 2026

Summary

Overview

Student Academic Success What We Fund As detailed in Our Approach, MDBF's goal for its grantmaking is to support nonprofits to strengthen their effectiveness as organizations in ways that lead to long-term sustainability. We strongly encourage you to read Our Grantmaking Approach for essential information regarding how we make funding decisions and to prepare you for the information we ask for in the application. Early Learning Programs: We support PreK organizations whose primary purpose is kindergarten readiness. Evidence-based programs are a plus. Academic Achievement: We support organizations whose primary purpose is to support K-12 students' academic achievement. These include organizations that build academic skills through structured academic learning opportunities and/or structured tutoring and professional training for teachers and tutors that align with the standard NC curriculum. Evidence-based programs are a plus. MDBF's multiyear grant application will open January 16 with a February 15 deadline, and the one-year application will open in August 2026. For more information, including application timeline and eligibility requirements, please visit our One-Year Grantmaking Guidelines webpage. Student Academic Success: One-Year Grant Both developing nonprofits and established organizations are eligible for these grants. All organizations must have a primary focus on the Student Academic Success. Organizations must be located in and main programming must take place in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and/or Wake Counties, NC. One-year general operating support grants are available to organizations that have not received a MDBF grant in the past five years or that are new to the foundation. Each year, MDBF will typically award 5 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grants amounts range from $5,000 - $10,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Developing Organizations Typically have existed for 2-5 years, are addressing a clear unmet need or opportunity, have strategic goals, and have begun offering programming.Organizations at this stage may have limited or no board of directors with staff who are primarily volunteers. Or, their boards may have expanded beyond "friends and family" and are beginning to focus more on governance and less on day-to-day operations. Paid staffing is minimal, typically only an Executive Director and perhaps one or two program staff.Funding sources are likely not diversified at this stage of development, but the organization may be starting to formalize financial management, volunteer management, program evaluation, fundraising, board development, marketing, and strategic planning as they grow.Established Organizations Are more mature and stable; programs/services are solid and well-recognized with strong and effective leadership. Paid program and administrative staff are in place and the board's focus is primarily policy and oversight. Organizational processes are developed. Revenue sources are more diversified. These organizations may have a well-demonstrated model and data that shows outcomes or is currently executing a plan for evaluation, continuous learning, and improvement.General Eligibility Requirements501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or be sponsored by a qualified fiscal agent.Organization's primary mission and programming focus on the Arts, Arts Education, or Student Academic Success.Organization has not received a MDBF grant within the past five years or is new to the foundation.Organization is located in and the majority of programming takes place in Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Wake counties.A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in its governance, staffing, and participants (students or artists).A current or expected expenses budget under $2,000,000 (fiscal sponsors are exempt from this stipulation).

Ineligibility

Organizations that have an interim or new executive director (hired within the past 6 months) are not eligible to apply.We do not make project-based grants.Organizations whose primary mission and focus is on the humanities or history are not eligible to apply.University-affiliated organizations are not eligible to apply.Public schools and charter schools are not eligible to apply.Public school foundations are eligible to apply.