Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Our Mission

To innovatively drive economic prosperity in Durham by:

  • Revitalizing Durham neighborhoods.

  • Increasing Durham’s commercial tax base.

  • Assisting in attracting, creating, expanding and retaining businesses.

  • Fostering a skilled workforce.

To fulfill that mission, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development has targeted four important areas of concentration — each aimed at providing the economic tools necessary to support world-class commercial growth and a robust job market:

  • Downtown redevelopment.

  • Business and workforce development.

  • Neighborhood development.

  • University-led development.


Our Goals

  • To assist in the implementation of major redevelopment projects for downtown.

  • To implement a comprehensive and responsive business development strategy that will support business formation, retention, expansion, relocation and employment opportunities within the city.

  • To assist in the implementation of key economic redevelopment projects within the city’s neighborhoods.

  • To create strong relationships and partnerships with our three primary colleges and universities to maximize economic growth in the city.