On the Bench: Matching Donation Campaign

Everyone in Durham should be able to get where they’re going. But most of our bus stops have nowhere to sit.

Think about someone just off a long shift. A parent with a toddler on her hip. A rider with a cane, twenty minutes into a wait, standing the whole time. A seat matters most to the people who rely on it.

On the Bench is a partnership between Play NC, Bike Durham, and Bull City Woodshop. We build wooden benches by hand and install them at Durham bus stops that need them. Forty-nine are out there now. Every one was built by a volunteer, by one of your neighbors.

Durham has more than 850 bus stops, and most them leave riders standing. The city and GoTriangle are improving stops, but those projects can stretch on for long periods of waiting. That’s no comfort to someone waiting for the Route 4 today.

Permanent fixes take years. You can make someone comfortable today.

Your first gift to On the Bench is matched!

A donor is matching every new gift through midnight on November 30, up to $37,000. Hit that, and the campaign brings in $74,000: enough to build, install, and maintain 240 more benches over the next two years.

A bench costs about $300 to build, install, and keep in good repair for its whole life. With the match, $150 puts one at a stop.

Pick an amount below, or give what works for you.

One-Time Donation Tiers

$15, Buy a Board
A bench takes seven boards and a forty screws. This buys one of the boards, and with the match, two.

$50, Paint a Bench
Paint and sealant to keep a bench in good shape through the weather. 

$150, Bench Sponsor
With the match, this puts one bench at a Durham bus stop and keeps it there: the stop assessment, the build, the install, and the repairs. You’ll get a digital photo of your bench by email.

$300, Two Bench Sponsor
With the match, two benches at two stops. First right of refusal to adopt one of them, and a plaque with its location and number. Build a bench yourself at a class, and we’ll make sure it’s one of yours. You’ll get a 3″x5″ photo of your bench in the regular mail.

$750, Workshop Sponsor
With the match, a full workshop at Bull City Woodshop: five benches built in one session by volunteers and community members. Your name and logo go on the workshop signage, the volunteer signup page, and the build photos.

$1,500, Build Day Sponsor
With the match, a full build day: two workshops, ten benches. Pick your date from Bull City Woodshop’s calendar and bring up to 25 people. Good for a company, a team, a school group, or a big birthday.

$5,000, Community Bench Founder
With the match, about 30 benches across six to eight workshops. Choose your stops from our list of assessed locations. Custom plaque on each bench with your name. Primary recognition on the website, in newsletters, and on social.

$18,500, City Bench Founder
With the match, you’ll fund over 100 benches for the community. You will get your own personal bench, made by Ryan Mentock, the designer of the Play NC Bench. The scraps from your bench will be crafted into a mini-bench, which will also be yours to keep. You will receive a framed photo of you and the other donors sitting on your bench with the directors of Bull City Woodshop, Bike Durham, and Play NC. The frame will be handcrafted by Brian Sparrow at the Bull City Woodshop from locally-sourced lumber. You will also receive a free lunch at your favorite restaurant in Durham, joined by the On The Bench leadership team.

Monthly Donation Tiers

Note: Only Monthly Donations between October 1, 2026 and December 1, 2026 will be matched!

$10, Materials for One Bench per Year
After one year, this monthly donation will cover the materials to build 1 Play NC Bench.

$25, Lifetime Costs for One Bench per Year
After one year, this monthly donation will cover the materials to build 1 Play NC Bench.

$100, Lifetime Costs for Four Benches per Year
After one year, this monthly donation will cover the materials to build 4 Play NC Bench.

$300, Lifetime Costs for 12 Benches per Year
After one year, this monthly donation will cover the materials to build 12 Play NC Benches.