Kenan Trust gives UNC Press $1.5M challenge grant for scholarly publishing endowment

The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust has pledged $1.5 million to UNC Press to help endow leadership for its Office of Scholarly Publishing Services. UNC Press must raise another $1.5 million by June 2028 to create a $3 million fund for the position.

Why it matters: - The grant is designed to create lasting funding for leadership at UNC Press’s Office of Scholarly Publishing Services. - A permanent director could help expand the press’s publishing support for UNC System campuses, agencies and nonprofit partners. - The challenge grant could double into a $3 million endowment if UNC Press raises the matching funds on time.

What happened: - The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust awarded UNC Press a $1.5 million challenge grant to establish the endowed William R. Kenan Jr. Director of the Office of Scholarly Publishing Services. - UNC Press must raise $1.5 million in new gifts by June 2028 to unlock the full endowment. - The total endowment would provide ongoing support for the role. - UNC Press announced the gift on Oct. 6, 2026.

The details: - UNC Press launched the Office of Scholarly Publishing Services 10 years ago to help UNC System campuses, agencies and nonprofit organizations publish work created at their institutions. - Endowing the position would let UNC Press hire a permanent leader focused on growing OSPS. - Nancy Cable, executive director of the Kenan Trust, tied the gift to UNC Press’s 100th anniversary in 2022 and its work to improve education across North Carolina. - UNC System President Peter Hans said public universities have an obligation to create knowledge and make it useful for North Carolinians. - John Sherer, UNC Press Spangler Family Director, said OSPS has extended the press’s expertise to partners across the UNC System and beyond. - Sherer said the Kenan Trust made a similar challenge grant to the press at its 75th anniversary. - Renee Grisham, Centennial Committee Chair, said OSPS shows how the press has evolved while staying true to its public mission.

Between the lines: - The gift is both a fundraising opportunity and a signal that UNC Press sees scholarly publishing services as a core part of its future. - The Kenan Trust’s matching structure puts pressure on UNC Press to build donor momentum before the June 2028 deadline. - The challenge grant also reflects a broader push to make academic content more accessible to students, faculty and the public.

What's next: - Supporters can send gifts by mail to Kenan Trust Challenge/UNC Press/116 S Boundary St/Chapel Hill, NC 27514. - Donations can also be made online through UNC Press support page. - Questions about the challenge go to Joanna Ruth Marsland, director of development, at Joanna.Ruth.Marsland@uncpress.org. - UNC Press will need to raise the remaining $1.5 million before June 2028 to secure the full endowment.

The bottom line: - If UNC Press meets the match, the press will lock in long-term support for a leadership role meant to expand the reach of scholarly publishing across North Carolina and beyond.