Who funds Duke University?

Durham, North Carolina · EIN 56-0532129 · NTEE B430 · 501(c)(3)

669 private foundations paid Duke University 1,645 grants on IRS Form 990-PF returns for tax year 2022 or later, $379.9M in all. Its IRS activity code (NTEE B430) places it in education.

All years on file, including returns before 2022.

Foundations that funded it

The 200 largest by total, of 672 on file.

Largest grants since 2022

Largest first. The purpose is what the foundation wrote on its return, for the tax year shown.

• Lilly Endowment Inc · 2025 - Forum for congregational life proj$40,000,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2023 - To commemorate the duke endowment's and duke university's shared centennial (endowed).$21,500,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2023 - To provide unrestricted operating support.$13,541,600
• Lilly Endowment Inc · 2025 - Thriving congregations initiative$10,387,846
• The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program · 2024 - Support for the robertson scholars leadership program at the university.$7,730,159
• The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program · 2022 - Support for the robertson scholars leadership program at the university.$7,127,832
• The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program · 2023 - Support for the robertson scholars leadership program at the university.$7,039,002
• The Duke Endowment · 2024 - To commemorate the duke endowment's and duke university's shared centennial (expendable).$6,808,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2024 - To continue to strengthen dukes capacity and reputation in the sciences by recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty for the university.$6,750,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2023 - To commemorate the duke endowment's and duke university's shared centennial (expendable).$6,210,000
• Lilly Endowment Inc · 2024 - Thriving in ministry initiative$5,629,250
• Gates Foundation · 2024 - Create novel technology platform capabilities; HIV$5,253,010
• Lilly Endowment Inc · 2024 - Lilly library renovation & expansion$5,000,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2024 - To commemorate the duke endowment's and duke university's shared centennial (capital).$5,000,000
• Lilly Endowment Inc · 2023 - Thriving congregations initiative$4,265,931
• Gates Foundation · 2023 - Create novel technology platform capabilities; HIV$4,001,709
• Clark Charitable Foundation Inc Dba a James & Alice B Clark Foundation · 2024 - Clark scholars program$3,750,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2024 - To endow a full professorship in the office of black church studies at duke divinity school.$3,500,000
• The Scott Family Foundation (De) Inc · 2025 - Charitable donation to a 501(C)(3) entity.$3,190,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2024 - To commemorate the duke endowment's and duke university's shared centennial (endowed).$3,000,000
• Lilly Endowment Inc · 2025 - Everything happens initiative$2,800,000
• The Rubenstein Foundation · 2023 - To promote and support the educational activities of the recipient$2,611,311
• Farmer Family Foundation · 2024 - Exempt purpose of organization$2,500,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2024 - To develop a signature, university-wide initiative to that helps students and faculty gain greater understanding of purpose, character and…$2,350,000
• The Duke Endowment · 2024 - To support flexible funds for strategic initiatives of three senior administrative leaders.$2,350,000

Organizations the same foundations fund

Organizations paid by many of the same foundations since 2022, by how much their lists of funders overlap.

• New York UniversityNew York, NY · 88 shared funders
• Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · 76 shared funders
• Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · 71 shared funders
• University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA · 84 shared funders
• Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY · 92 shared funders
• University of ChicagoChicago, IL · 82 shared funders
• Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC · 81 shared funders
• University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · 52 shared funders

By tax year of the funder's return

More funders nearby

• Education grants in North Carolina
• All foundation grants in North Carolina

How this page is made

Each grant comes from a foundation's IRS Form 990-PF and was linked to this EIN only when this was the single organization in the IRS Business Master File with that name in that state. Grants written under a different spelling, or where several organizations share the name, are not counted here, so the real totals can be higher. Government grants and gifts from individuals do not appear on these returns.

• IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 56-0532129
• IRS Business Master File record updated Nov 9, 2026; listed in Publication 78 (eligible for deductible contributions)

Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.