Our approach is centered on the guiding belief that a vibrant local nonprofit sector — with organizations achieving their goals — advances our vision for a greater Durham area where people’s lives are enriched and improved.

We’ve seen the success of organizations with effective leaders who guide high-quality programs and strategies, who can demonstrate their impact, and who align with community priorities. And alongside effective leadership, we’ve observed that sustainable nonprofits need both their full costs met as well as essential infrastructure in place.

Given this, we focus our grantmaking on: providing general operating support; funding capacity and infrastructure projects; and paying for organizations’ practical needs.

We recognize too, as countless others do, that many of the biggest wins for our community happen when people work together. Thus, in addition to supporting individual nonprofits, we support multiple organizations collaborating toward a shared purpose.

We also consider special projects, knowing that sometimes there are unexpected or one-of-a-kind opportunities that fall outside of these primary interests.

Page images, from top: Durham Literacy Center, photo credit: Natalia Weedy; Families Moving Forward.