About Us

CREATE/NCGrowth is a multi-state economic development center based at UNC Chapel Hill.  We are building a more equitable economy and creating new wealth in distressed communities.  We provide technical assistance to businesses, governments, and other organizations; produce academic and applied research; develop innovative policies; and host unique convenings. CREATE/NCGrowth includes Anchor Institutions Create Economic Resilience (AICER); SmartUp; Homegrown Tools; and the Black Communities Conference.

Vision: An economy that distributes wealth equitably and provides opportunities to prosper for all.

Mission: To create good jobs and new wealth in economically distressed communities. To produce research, strategies, and policies that build wealth in communities with less financial and political power.

What we do: (1) provide technical assistance to businesses, governments, and other organizations; (2) produce academic and applied research; (3) develop innovative policies; (4) host unique convenings.

Who we are: A team of economic development professionals and top-teer academic faculty; 40+ graduate student analysts based at 10+ universities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee; 40+ advisors; 500+ local/global partners including NGOs, foundations, corporations, and faith organizations.

Where we work: We provide technical assistance in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and other communities across the U.S.  Our research, policy work, and convenings are international, national, and local in scale.

Our Values: Every decision presents an opportunity to have an impact.  Failure is not an option.  Leave no one behind.  History, culture and demographics matter.  Respect for elders.  Power to the people.