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Duke Launches $203M HomeGrown Initiative to Boost Hiring, Housing, and Local Business Growth

Three-year plan will raise wages, expand local hiring and invest more in Triangle businesses and affordable housing

Southpoint Access

18 Mar 2026 — 4 min read

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Duke University and Duke University Health System are launching a three-year, $203 million initiative aimed at expanding economic opportunity in Durham and across the Triangle.

The initiative, called HomeGrown, focuses on four areas where Duke says it can have the most direct impact: local hiring, business partnerships, construction opportunities and affordable housing investment.

Duke, the Triangle’s largest private employer, said the initiative is designed to help more residents benefit from the region’s growth.

“Duke is deeply connected to Durham and the broader Triangle — as a neighbor, a partner, and an anchor institution committed to strengthening the community we call home,” Duke President Vincent Price said. “As our region has grown and changed, not everyone has benefited equally from that progress.”

Duke said it will publicly track its progress through the HomeGrown website.

Duke Raising Minimum Wage to $20 an Hour

One of the most immediate changes will be a wage increase for thousands of workers.

Duke said it will raise its minimum wage to $20 an hour effective July 1. More than 4,000 employees at Duke University and Duke University Health System will receive pay increases. Another 9,000 employees whose wages are near the new minimum will also see adjustments.

Duke said more than 60% of its workforce lives in Durham, making the wage increase especially significant for local families.

“For many families in Durham and across the region, Duke Health is their first experience with Duke — not just as a place of care, but as an employer and community partner,” said Thomas Owens, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Duke University Health System.

HomeGrown Emphasizes Workforce Pathways in Durham

The initiative also highlights efforts to strengthen long-term career pipelines.

Duke pointed to its partnership with Durham Public Schools and Durham Technical Community College to launch the Durham Early College of Health Sciences, which welcomed more than 100 local ninth graders last August. The school is designed to guide students into health care careers, including jobs at Duke Health.

Duke also said it plans to double the number of formerly incarcerated employees from 50 to 100 over the next three years.

Roshanna Singley Humphrey, director of the Durham County Justice Services Department, said the effort could create new opportunities for people trying to rebuild their lives after involvement with the justice system.

Duke Plans to Spend More with Durham and Triangle Businesses

Beyond hiring, Duke said HomeGrown will direct more of its procurement and construction spending to businesses based in Durham and the Triangle.

The initiative calls for:

$45 million more in spending with Durham and Triangle businesses over three years.
$120 million more in capital project spending with Durham and Triangle construction-related firms.
An increase in local hiring for key entry-level jobs from 69% to 80%.
75 new paid internships through YouthWorks.
Growth in affordable housing investments from $22 million to $60 million through community development financial institutions.

Geoff Durham, president and CEO of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, said the increased local spending could help strengthen the regional economy and support long-term business growth.

Affordable Housing Features in Duke’s Durham Investment

Housing is another central part of the HomeGrown initiative.

Duke said the plan builds on decades of collaboration in Durham, including work with Habitat for Humanity and community development lenders. The university said it will increase investments in affordable housing through community development financial institutions, expanding support for both housing development and homeownership opportunities.

Dan Levine, vice president and director of real estate at Self-Help Credit Union, said Duke’s investment could help residents afford housing, grow small businesses and build wealth.

HomeGrown also builds on earlier partnerships between Duke and the city, including the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership, which began in 1996. Last year, Duke and Durham celebrated the dedication of a Centennial Habitat for Humanity home.

HomeGrown Focuses on Four Pillars

Duke said the initiative is built around four core strategies:

Employ: Expand local hiring and strengthen career pathways.
Build: Create more opportunities for Durham and Triangle construction-related businesses.
Buy: Increase procurement with Durham and Triangle businesses.
Invest: Accelerate affordable housing development and expand pathways to homeownership.

What Duke’s HomeGrown Initiative Could Mean for Durham

For Durham, the significance of HomeGrown is not only the size of the investment, but also where the money is going: wages, jobs, local businesses and housing.

Over the next three years, the initiative’s impact will likely be measured by whether Duke’s commitments translate into broader economic opportunity for Durham residents and families across the Triangle.