About Our Centennial

Kicking Off the Next 100 Years

On December 11, 1924, James B. Duke signed his Indenture of Trust, the legal document creating The Duke Endowment and launching our philanthropic journey to improve lives in North Carolina and South Carolina. As we marked our centennial in 2024, we reflected on 100 years of stewarding that legacy by supporting our grantees. Their work keeps Mr. Duke’s vision alive. It has been our honor to partner with them during the past century.

As we look to the next century, we are building on the strong foundation of partnership and progress built across 100 years of nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. We have invested $5 billion in grantmaking since 1924 — and as we kick off the next 100 years, we intend to accelerate our pace of giving with a pledge to make up to $5 billion in grants over the next 15 years.