Giving

Rear view of an orange van with back doors open, showing cut flowers in silver buckets.
"Flying Cloud Farm," by Ken Abbott, part of the exhibit "Useful Work: Photographs of Hickory Nut Gap Farm" in the Juanita Kreps Gallery at CDS, 2016

Why Support CDS?

The Center for Documentary Studies (CDS), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization affiliated with Duke University, promotes documentary work that cultivates progressive change by amplifying voices, breaking down barriers to understanding, and illuminating social injustices. When you support CDS, you let the world hear crucial new viewpoints, give people the tools to tell their own stories, and champion work that highlights our shared humanity.

Thank you for expanding our impact!

Ways to Give

Make a gift online

  • Provide vital unrestricted support that helps CDS provide innovative programs and maintain and improve a truly unique space.
  • Direct your gift to one of our programs:
  • Add to the longevity of CDS and its programs by adding to one of our endowment funds:
    • The William and Lorna Chafe Fund – support oral-history work undertaken by CDS
    • The Jonathan and Amy Jensen Fund – support projects in the documentary arts
    • The Tom Rankin Fund – provide unrestricted support for the CDS director

Make a gift by check

Send a check payable to Center for Documentary Studies to:

Duke Center for Documentary Studies
Attn: Development
1317 W. Pettigrew Street
Durham, NC 27705

Make a gift of stocks, bonds or mutual funds

Donate via our stock donation form and list Center for Documentary Studies as the gift designation.

Payroll deduction

Duke employees can make one-time or recurring donations to CDS via payroll deduction through Duke@Work under MyPay. In the “Where do you want your donation to go?” field, please choose Center for Documentary Studies 8500364.

Matching gifts

Many companies and foundations will match the value of charitable gifts made by employees and their spouses, board members and retirees. To find out if a particular company or foundation has a matching gift program, check our matching gift database. Click on the name of your company for instructions on submitting matching-gift paperwork, which must be submitted through your company’s HR site. Thank you for taking a few minutes to double your donation to CDS! NOTE: It is important to enter Center for Documentary Studies in any comments sections to ensure the matching gift is directed to us.

Planned giving

While outright gifts provide vital resources for us today, planned gifts help to ensure the impact of CDS for years to come.

A gift to CDS can be part of a smart financial plan. Let the CDS development staff and the Office of Gift Planning at Duke University help you and your financial advisors develop a gift plan that meets your financial and philanthropic goals. A properly planned gift may help you reduce or eliminate capital gains and gift and estate taxes. You may realize immediate tax savings as well. You can explore different gift plans in detail on Duke's Gift Planning website.

Contact Us

To discuss giving options and find the best fit for you, please contact CDS Development Director Mike Gulley at (919) 660-3699 or Michael.Gulley@duke.edu.