Please see Grantmaking Guidelines under the How to Apply tab for details about the submission process and our deadlines.

We use an online application process. We do not accept hard-copy proposals.

Please read the Arts, Arts Education and Student Academic Success program descriptions. We make operating support grants. In addition, our charter mandates that Duke University receive half of total grants.

At the Foundation’s request, Duke’s proposal is managed by staff in the Office of Foundation Relations in University Development. For more information, please contact them at 919-681-0468. We do not accept proposals from Duke outside of this process.

Organizations must have a primary focus on the Arts, Arts Education, or Student Academic Success. Organizations must be located in and main programming must take place in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and/or Wake Counties, NC.

Multiyear grants are only available to organizations that MDBF has funded in the previous five years. Both developing nonprofits and established organizations are eligible for these grants.

One-year grants are available to organizations that have not received an MDBF grant in the past five years or have never received a grant from us. Both developing nonprofits and established organizations are eligible for these grants.

Organizations may have only one grant at a time.

Multiyear grant applicants: After conversations with select organizations, we will extend invitations for proposals from well-aligned applicants. All applicants will be notified about the status of their application by the end of March.

One-year grant applicants: After conversations with select organizations, we will extend invitations for proposals from well-aligned applicants. All applicants will be notified about the status of their application by the end of September.

MDBF and nonprofit partners will have annual check-in meetings to get updates on the organization.

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