At a Glance: The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

History: Established in 1996 by the estate of Doris Duke, the heir to the American Tobacco Company fortune, who died in 1993.

Areas of support: The fund will make grants in three major areas: the performing arts; the environment, including conservation and preservation; and medical research to find cures for major diseases, particularly AIDS, cancer, heart disease, and sickle-cell anemia. The foundation is still in the process of deciding how best to make grants to aid all the causes mentioned in Miss Duke’s will, especially her interest in preventing cruelty to children and animals.

Assets: Estimated at $1.25-billion. In addition, the foundation will take control of three properties in the next few months that have an estimated value of $150-million.

Grants and operating programs: The foundation plans to distribute about $55-million annually starting in 1998. It will run six subsidiary operating foundations: the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, the Doris Duke Foundation for the Preservation of Endangered Wildlife, the Doris Duke Foundation for the Preservation of New Jersey Farmland and Farm Animals, the Duke Gardens Foundation, the Foundation for Southeast Asian Art and Culture, and the Newport Restoration Foundation. The foundation will also administer the Doris Duke Clinical Scientist Award Program for physicians who conduct medical research.

Key officials: Joan E. Spero, president; James F. Gill, chairman of the board.

Application procedures: The foundation is in the process of creating grant guidelines and is not accepting unsolicited proposals.

Address: 1633 Broadway, 39th Floor, New York 10019.