As a member of the board of trustees of The Duke Endowment, one of my responsibilities is to review with fellow trustees grant requests from organizations in the Carolinas.

With so many unmet needs in the two states, it is hard to say one is more deserving than the next. However, when the leadership of Health Sciences South Carolina met with The Duke Endowment to share its vision for improving the state's economy and public health, we were struck by the group's vision for improving health care for all South Carolinians.

Here was something new and innovative. We listened with keen interest as the leaders of the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina, Palmetto Health, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and the Greenville Hospital System laid out their plan with a unified voice.

The scope of Health Sciences South Carolina's plan, the spirit of cooperation, and the potential to bring about positive change for all South Carolinians, impressed and inspired me and my fellow trustees. So much so that we recently awarded a three-year, $21 million grant to Health Sciences South Carolina, the largest gift The Duke Endowment has ever made through our health-care division since North Carolina industrialist James B. Duke founded the endowment in 1924.

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Each year, The Duke Endowment awards millions of dollars in grants in four categories: child care, education, health care and rural churches. Each and every request is thoughtfully considered and voted on by our board of trustees. In the case of Health Sciences South Carolina, the grant received unanimous board support.

Health Sciences South Carolina intends to use the $21 million to support the establishment of the Center for Health Care Quality and Clinical Effectiveness and to fully develop and implement the Centers of Economic Excellence Endowed Chairs program. The work done through the statewide collaboration of the three research universities and the four largest health systems will address issues of critical state and national importance: safer hospitals, better patient outcomes and improved quality of care.

An important piece of this initiative is South Carolina's Endowed Chairs program. The brainchild of the state's General Assembly, this program allocates state funds to create endowed chairs at research universities in areas, such as the health sciences, to enhance the state's economy. Funded jointly by the state, the private sector and now The Duke Endowment, this program has been highly effective.

Finally, the entire board was influenced by the partners' commitment to set aside individual interests for the greater good of the state.

We recognize that resources are scarce and needs are great in South Carolina and at its universities and hospitals. Innovation and collaboration are critical for achieving a healthier population and a healthier economy.

The Duke Endowment is extremely pleased to be a part of this extraordinary statewide endeavor. James B. Duke would have been a champion of this effort -- it is a fitting tribute to his legacy.