DD
LP profile
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Foundation · Founded 1996 · New York City, United States
41
VC firms backed
$2.0B
AUM
~$100M
Allocated to VC (est. 5%)
01 · Background
Who Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is.
- Historical Background
- The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation was established in 1996 following the death of its benefactor, Doris Duke, in 1993. It was created through the provisions of Ms. Duke's last will and testament, which directed that her substantial fortune be used to establish a foundation for charitable purposes. An earlier entity, known as Independent Aid, Inc., was incorporated by Doris Duke in 1934 and renamed the Doris Duke Foundation in 1951, but the current Doris Duke Charitable Foundation began its grant-making operations in 1997.
- Source of Capital
- The foundation's capital originates from the endowment specified in Doris Duke's will, which bequeathed the majority of her estate to the foundation. This fortune was inherited from her father, James Buchanan Duke, a founder of the American Tobacco Company and Duke Energy Company. The endowment is currently valued at over $2 billion.
- Major Events
- In 2023, the foundation celebrated the tenth anniversary of its Doris Duke Artist Awards by doubling the prize amount for each recipient to $550,000.
- Allocation Strategy
- The foundation operates as a private grant-making institution, not a traditional venture or private equity investor. Its allocation strategy is centered on providing grants across several core focus areas: performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research, and child well-being. The foundation's staff identifies needs within its focus areas and develops specific grant initiatives to address them, sometimes inviting proposals and other times initiating grants directly. A portion of its mission includes the preservation of the cultural and environmental legacy associated with Doris Duke's properties.
02 · Fund commitments
The funds Doris Duke Charitable Foundation backs.
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is a limited partner in 41 funds. 9 of them place in the Power Law Investor Ranking; those lead, best-ranked first.
Sequoia Capital
#2 Power Law
Insight Partners
#23 Power Law
Coatue Management
#32 Power Law
TCV
#67 Power Law
Threshold Ventures
#115 Power Law
TPG
#158 Power Law
Silver Lake Partners
#180 Power Law
Peak XV Partners
#207 Power Law
Bain Capital
#239 Power Law
Adjuvant Capital
AQR Capital Management
Asia Alternatives
Austin Ventures
Brevan Howard Asset Management
HSG
Investcorp
Nordic Capital
Permira
03 · Allocation
How Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s fund book is spread.
The 41 funds Doris Duke Charitable Foundation backs, by where the manager is headquartered and how many funds that manager has raised.
Where those managers are based
By fund headquarters.
- North America 3585%
- Europe 37%
- Rest of world 37%
United States 35 · United Kingdom 2 · Bahrain 1 · China 1
How established those managers are
Managers grouped by how many funds they have raised — across the 27 of 41 with a fund history on record.
Emerging funds · 8
Established funds · 19
5
1
1
2
2
3
2
4
1
5-6
3
7-9
5
10-14
8
15+
Funds raised by the manager
04 · Other LPs
Other LPs.
Other foundations in the Power Law LP ranking, closest to Doris Duke Charitable Foundation by combined power-law score — North America first, then the nearest worldwide.
🇺🇸
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
$6.0B AUM
30 VC funds backed
🇺🇸
Grantham Foundation
$912M AUM
52 VC funds backed
🇺🇸
The Schmidt Family Foundation
$1.5B AUM
16 VC funds backed
🇺🇸
The James Irvine Foundation
$3.8B AUM
41 VC funds backed
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Alfred duPont Charitable Trust
$4.5B AUM
25 VC funds backed
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Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
$9.0B AUM
25 VC funds backed
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Surdna Foundation
$1.5B AUM
66 VC funds backed
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Skoll Foundation
$2.0B AUM
51 VC funds backed