Duke Energy Foundation
/OVERVIEW: This funder supports programs for education, the environment, economic and workforce development, and community impact in select counties in the Southeastern states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Florida.
IP TAKE: Duke has been prioritizing support for schools lately, especially early literacy and K-12 STEM education efforts in the Southeast. Funding supports projects and initiatives as opposed to general operations and is mainly limited to select counties in the Southeast. If your organization falls within these limitations, Duke is accessible and runs an online application system that is easy to navigate.
PROFILE: The Duke Energy Foundation is a separate grantmaking entity from the Duke Endowment. This is the philanthropic arm of the largest electric power holding company in the U.S. that provides energy to about 7.4 million Americans. The energy company provides electric services to the Carolinas, the Midwest, and Florida, and it distributes natural gas in Ohio and Kentucky. It seeks to make “strategic investments to build powerful communities where nature and wildlife thrive, students can excel and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all.”
The Duke Energy Foundation funds about $25 million in grants each year and supports education, the environment, economic, workforce development, and community impact. The foundation’s education program supports reading proficiency, high school graduation, early literacy, and closing the achievement gap. There has also been a big push for STEM education--the education application period is January 1 to February 29.
Workforce development grants support preparing the next generation of workers for careers in the states that Duke Energy serves. The foundation accepts applications for these grants between August 1 and September 30. Duke Energy’s environmental program supports local programs that protect and restore natural resources and wildlife. Programs for air, water, environmental education, and research for energy technologies typically receive this foundation’s support; grant seekers can apply for these grants between July 1 and August 31.
Duke Energy’s community and cultural grants support arts and culture groups, and accepts applications April 1 to May 31. The funder offers local community development grants up to $10,000 on an ongoing basis for local community development needs that align with the foundation’s four priority areas. In addition to this funding, the Duke Energy Foundation also has a Water Resources Fund to protect and restore waterways in the Carolinas, and provides disaster relief support.
Nonprofits must serve counties served by Duke Energy to be eligible for grants. Select counties in the Southeastern states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Florida are considered for grants. Some counties in the Midwestern states of Ohio and Indiana are also eligible.
Grant seekers should keep in mind this is a program and project funder, not a foundation that provides general operating support, capital investments, or endowments. The grant application process is conducted online and starts with an eligibility quiz. The best way to keep up with what this funder is doing is to follow @DukeEnergy on Twitter or Facebook.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
