Building Bridges

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Building Bridges | Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Skip to main content

People on stage at a panel discussion pointing to an illustration of a woman wearing a hijab printed with the American flag

The mission of the Building Bridges Program is to support national efforts, working with U.S. Muslims, to increase mutual understanding and well-being among diverse populations for the benefit of building stronger, inclusive communities. The program is anchored in the conviction that strategic use of the arts and media can help provide an effective social prescription for achieving this vision.

Based in New York, the Building Bridges Program is the national grantmaking program of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art (DDFIA), an extension of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. In alignment with Doris Duke’s will and DDFIA’s core values of promoting and preserving Muslim cultures, the Building Bridges Program maintains an enduring commitment to the well-being of American Muslims.

Why It's Important

The need for creating a more inclusive U.S. society is clear. As the nation becomes more racially and ethnically varied, areas that reflect these demographic shifts are grappling with building harmonious communities of neighbors whose cultural backgrounds differ from one another. Arts and media-based experiences provide potent platforms for shifting narratives, opening up conversation and learning, and offering a window into our shared humanity. The Building Bridges Program envisions a network of strong and healthy communities across the United States in which every member is valued, supported and empowered to fulfill their greatest potential.

What We Support

Since 2007, the Building Bridges Program has supported endeavors that engage U.S.-based populations, particularly American Muslim communities and their neighbors, through experiential learning offered by diverse creative art forms to advance understanding and relationships. To view previous Building Bridges Program-funded work, visit our Grantee Database.

See Previous Grantees

Key Grant Competition

Building Bridges Program Grant Competition

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Grantmaking Process

The bulk of the Building Bridges Program’s support is distributed through its annual grant competition, which funds the planning and implementation of projects that engage U.S.-based Muslims and their neighbors in arts- and media-based experiences designed to advance relationships and understanding for mutual well-being. Additionally, the program identifies organizations that advance its goals and provides funding through staff-curated grants, re-granting opportunities, and internal and external funding partnerships.

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