In 2021, the university's Board of Trustees formed the Duke and Durham Today and Tomorrow Task Force to provide strategic insight into Duke’s efforts to broaden collaboration and partnerships with the Durham community. Task Force members reviewed Duke's history of engagement with the city, assessed current initiatives, and provided guidance on strategic priorities. Included among its five recommendations was the creation of strategic councils, comprised of university and community experts, in each focus area outlined in the Strategic Community Impact Plan:

The strategic councils provide a forum for co-designing solutions to community challenges through shared decision-making processes. Guided by Duke Community Affairs, the strategic councils include practitioners, representatives from the private sector, local government, and community-based nonprofits.

Strategic Councils

The Affordable Housing Council was the first to form, representing collaborations across organizations and various stakeholders to create equitable and innovative solutions for addressing the current housing challenges in Durham. With 17 members, the Affordable Housing Council developed guiding principles through a facilitated and collaborative process to identify their shared vision. 

Learn More about the Affordable Housing Strategic Council.

 

In spring 2025, the Education Strategic Council was formed after community partners shared insights through listening sessions and surveys. Bringing together 22 representatives from Durham Public Schools, pre-K programs, after-school programs, community-based nonprofits, and parent and teacher groups, the Council unites diverse voices in a shared commitment to strengthening education across our community. Through facilitated dialogue and collaboration, members come together to shape a collective vision and establish clear priorities for addressing the most pressing gaps facing students and families.

Launching in Fall 2025, the Durham Food and Nutrition Strategic Council will comprise non-Duke community members, local health agencies, community-based organizations like the Partnership for a Healthy Durham, and Duke community collaborators. This council will provide community input, policy guidance, and ensure that local priorities are maintained at the forefront of our food and nutrition security work.

Inviting Community Expertise

Duke Community Affairs recognizes the immense expertise held by community members and leaders. As one of our primary methods of ensuring our work is guided by listening and learning, we seek opportunities to convene with groups regularly. 

Advisory Groups

The Faith & Health Initiative, established in the fall of 2011, brings together a diverse group of faith-based leaders to improve community health by integrating health, wellness, and spirituality.

The initiative's goals are to:

  • Strengthen partnerships between faith organizations and the healthcare system.
  • Support health and wellness programs for faith leaders and their congregations.
  • Create co-create solutions to address issues identified by the communities they serve.

In June 2025, the initiative's task force was relaunched as the Duke Faith and Health Advisory Board. The board will serve as a focus group advising Duke leadership on key community health issues. The board meets quarterly.

For more information, contact Kimberly Monroe.

In 2023, Duke formed an internal transportation steering committee in response to requirements from The Joint Commission, which asks all accredited healthcare systems to address social drivers of health, including access to food and transportation. By 2024, this effort was expanded into the Transportation Strategic Council with 15 members -- including nurses, case managers, social workers, and community engagement leaders -- working to identify and address gaps in access to care caused by transportation barriers.

The Duke Food Security Steering Committee is an in-house committee that brings together representatives from a number of Duke departments, including Community Affairs, Duke Health System, Student Affairs, Campus Sustainability, Campus Dining, Employee Health & Wellness, Facilities, and research institutes. The committee will launch in Fall 2025 and will meet quarterly to discuss the status of the Steering Committee, provide input, approve major interventions, and keep our work community-rooted and asset-based, as well as coordinate Duke's internal operations, programs, and resource distribution.