We are excited to announce that Carolina Caring, through the work of Carolina Caring Foundation, has received a $975,000 grant from The Duke Endowment to fund a palliative care pilot program developed in partnership with CaroNova, a nonprofit health transformation catalyst serving North and South Carolina. Combining strategy and solutions to accelerate the future of an affordable, equitable, and effective system of health for all Carolinians, CaroNova works with partners across the Carolinas to drive reforms.
The Endowment grant is one of the highest grant amounts Carolina Caring has received in organizational history. The grant will be distributed over two years: $375,000 in 2025 and $600,000 in 2026.
Through the pilot program, Carolina Caring and CaroNova aim to create a sustainable model of comprehensive palliative care for serious illness. Palliative medicine is a specialized program of care which supports patients facing serious illness and can be integrated with or without curative treatments. Unlike hospice care, which is typically reserved for individuals with a prognosis of six months or less, palliative medicine can be initiated at any stage of a person’s illness.
The generous funds provided by the Endowment grant will support the pilot’s efforts to enhance palliative care services by creating a sustainable model that ensures smooth coordination across all stages of care. It will provide proactive support for patients and families through caregiver education, advance care planning, estate and legal planning, and spiritual support offered by chaplains, social workers, and clinical teams focused on whole person health. The program will also work to expand care access for underserved populations.
Additional components of the pilot include:
- Establishing consistent eligibility criteria to support earlier patient identification.
- Defining minimum standards of care and a model for integration across the continuum.
- Promoting health equity, offering social determinant of health screenings with resources, offering mental health support, and providing care coordination through virtual services and extended care teams.
- Developing sustainable alternative payment models that support comprehensive, goal-concordant services (care that aligns with patients’ values and preferences) and a framework for provider/payor collaboration.
- Aligning with national clinical practice guidelines for quality palliative care as the foundation for a fully integrated model of holistic support.
“Carolina Caring has a long-standing commitment to providing compassionate care to individuals who are facing serious illness,” says Dana Killian, President & CEO, Carolina Caring. “Our collaboration with CaroNova will enable us to enhance our approach to patient care and leverage that with their expertise in community-based interventions.”
“With The Duke Endowment’s support, this pilot can create a long term and scalable model that addresses the unique needs of our patients and their families, ultimately improving their quality of life,” Killian adds.
For more information on Carolina Caring’s mission, vision, and available services, or how you can support Carolina Caring’s hospice and palliative care in your community, please call 828.466.0466 or contact us.
ABOUT THE DUKE ENDOWMENT
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed $5 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
ABOUT CAROLINA CARING
Founded in 1979, Carolina Caring is an independent, community-based, nonprofit healthcare provider. It specializes in programs that offer relief from chronic conditions, serious illnesses, and the challenges they bring, including palliative medicine and hospice care for all ages, primary care, and grief counseling. Carolina Caring serves 12 counties across western North Carolina and the Mecklenburg County area.
