Looking Forward

This e-newsletter coincides with the launch of The Duke Endowment’s printed and online annual report. The information focuses on projects from 2009 that are laying the groundwork for generations ahead. Just as our founder, James B. Duke, invested in the future, the work that our grantees do today in child care, health care, higher education and the rural church will help shape communities and organizations for years to come.

For more information, visit our 2009 Annual Report and find a searchable list of our grants, details on priority programs and grantee spotlights, as well as funding guidelines, program evaluations and videos that bring our philanthropic mission to life.

In Durham County, N.C., a new program is increasing child well-being by bridging the gap between parent need and community resources. Read more.

A ministry of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church in Cedar Grove, N.C., has become a national model for community gardening. Participants are now creating a development plan that will help the project thrive for years to come. Read more.

What can we do to help North Carolinians become healthier? Read about a statewide action plan in a Q & A with the president of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine.

In the Lowcountry of South Carolina, a unique partnership is helping community officials respond to mental health needs. Read more.

Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., is taking “calculated risks” for the future, including launching a program for non-traditional students and working adults. Watch a video interview with the university’s president, Dr. Ronald L. Carter.

By including evaluation early on, programs like the Clergy Health Initiative have a better chance of making a true impact. Learn more about how The Duke Endowment uses tools and principles of evaluation in its grantmaking.