Duke Energy Foundation donating to North Carolina schools to bolster programs. | Stock Photo
Duke Energy Foundation donating to North Carolina schools to bolster programs. | Stock Photo
The Duke Energy Foundation said it will provide nearly $1 million in grants to support North Carolina's K-12 programs.
The foundation announced the $810,000 in grants that will go to support experiential learning, summer reading loss and STEM education, the Independent Tribune reported in April. The foundation wants to help to address the challenges due to the novel coronavirus.
"The nonprofit community is essential to the well-being and success of our state," Duke Energy North Carolina President Stephen De May told the news agency. "We are grateful for the work they do to serve our communities and want them to have some measure of flexibility during this time of uncertainty – it’s the right thing to do."
The North Carolina Center for Nonprofits found that 70% of the state's profits are worried that COVID-19 could affect their organizations' sustainability, according to the report.
President and CEO of the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits Jeanne Tedrow said the demand for services that are typically provided by the non-profit sector is growing quickly as the pandemic continues to spread.
"The need for flexible funds from both corporate and private foundations is paramount, and maintaining a safety net is critical not only for today’s response but for the viability of our communities as we recover and rebuild," Tedrow told the news agency.
Many of the state's non-profits are planning to use the grant money in response to COVID-19, like Marbles Kids Museum, which wants to use the funding to help connect virtually with the community, according to the news agency.
Marbles' CEO Sally Edwards said the museum relies on admission and ticket sales, as well as memberships and events to fund major portions of the museum's budget.
"Since COVID-19 forced us to close the museum to the public, we’ve had to reduce staff and delay major projects," Edwards told the news agency. "This flexible funding from Duke Energy helped us pivot to connect virtually with our community during closure and implement new sustainability practices to ensure we emerge from this crisis viable and ready to spark imagination, discovery and learning through play."
Thirty-three non-profits received between $10,500 and $100,000, according to the news agency.
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