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Duke Community Affairs forges purposeful partnerships with our neighbors to improve health and well-being in communities.
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Duke's Vision for Its Second Century
"Duke will forge purposeful partnerships with our neighbors in the region. Through these partnerships, we can advance not just economic development but also community health, housing, and public education, and we will benefit from richer partnerships in the Triangle’s thriving research ecosystem."
— Vincent E. Price, President, Duke University
Duke's Longstanding Commitment to Communities
Since Duke’s charter, each president has committed to community engagement and public service. These efforts coalesced in the late 1980s and have continued to expand in scope and reach since then.
Under the leadership of Duke’s past three presidents, Nannerl Keohane (1993-2004), Richard Brodhead (2004-2017), and Vincent Price (2017-present), Duke meaningfully advanced its relationship with neighbors. In 2018, President Price articulated his vision for the university’s second century in Durham, including, as one of five pillars, a commitment to “partner with purpose.”
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Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership
The Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership (DDNP) was established in 1996 to connect and collaborate with neighborhoods adjacent to campus. Since then, it has been a vital forum for sharing ideas and resources. Now comprising 14 neighborhood associations, the DDNP continues to serve as a strong network between the university and its surrounding communities.
Strategic Community Impact Plan
From 2019 to 2021, the Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs, now known as the Duke Office of Community Affairs, conducted community conversations, focus groups, and listening sessions with nearly 650 community stakeholders across various sectors to gather insights into community priorities. As a result of these exchanges, Duke identified five focus areas and strategic priorities for community partnership around which the university and health system can mobilize and coordinate expertise. In 2024-2025, the SCIP goals were updated to reflect post-pandemic learning and feedback from community members, many of whom contributed to the original version, as well as Duke stakeholders.