MDBF Pauses Open-Submission Grant Cycles for 2023

The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation is not conducting our usual open-submission grant cycles for K-12 Education or the Arts in 2023. We are embarking on a year-long process to redesign our grantmaking approach and find ways to become a stronger partner to arts organizations, artists, and K-12 education partners.

2022 proved to be a pivotal year of reflection for MDBF. The changes we made in our grantmaking and reporting processes, beginning in 2021, resulted in more opportunities to engage with nonprofit partners. The Board and staff considered what we were learning and began thinking about how we could help nonprofits thrive, not just survive.

We’ve heard and seen a great deal of progress and a lot of potential. After a stressful couple of years—when many nonprofits were struggling and some were at serious risk of closure—the environment is feeling more stable and nonprofits are looking forward. They’re seeking collaboration, flexibility, and investments to meet their goals.

For nearly 70 years, we have remained committed to a tradition of carrying out Mary Duke Biddle’s goal of sharing resources in a way that improves people’s lives and responds to evolving community needs. As we look ahead, we want to remain responsive and forward-thinking, ensuring that we’re incorporating best practices and learning as we adapt to better support our nonprofit partners.

As we progress with our planning, we promise to share updates to keep you informed of details when they are available. We will be launching a newly-designed website soon and we’ve started identifying ways to use this year to strengthen our communications and deepen our personal connections in meaningful ways. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

We are grateful for all the ways you make your communities a better place to live, work, learn, and play.