A Comprehensive Library of Community-Engaged Research Resources - Guidance for the Partner Stage

Guidance for the Partner Stage of CEnR

The partner stage is the foundation of CEnR. Strong partnerships ensure that research is relevant, respectful, and beneficial to the community. Ideally, these partnerships begin before research questions are developed, allowing community voices to shape the direction of the work. This stage involves:

• Identifying partners: Engaging individuals, groups, or organizations with a direct stake in the research topic and understanding the community’s history, values, and priorities.
• Defining roles, expectations, and engagement processes: Clarifying project goals, decision-making authority, levels of engagement, and measures of success.
• Securing project funding: Ensuring adequate resources to compensate community partners, cover logistical needs, and support meaningful engagement.

By prioritizing relationship-building early, researchers and community partners can collaborate effectively to design research that is impactful and aligned with community needs.

Identify Partners

The first step in the partner stage is to identify who should be involved in the research. Partners might include schools, community-based nonprofits, neighborhood associations, health clinics, youth centers, or faith-based organizations. If researchers are unsure who to partner with on a research topic, they could try the following:

• Map out social networks to identify key stakeholders.
• Host listening sessions to understand community priorities.
• Seek referrals from trusted community leaders.

When identifying partners, it is essential to understand the community’s context, including its history, values, and traditions. Without such context, research efforts may feel disconnected or even cause harm. To build contextual understanding, researchers can:

• Attend local events, festivals, and community gatherings.
• Engage with community leaders to learn about priorities and concerns.
• Ensure that all engagement is mutually beneficial, acknowledging community expertise.

Researchers should also consider partners’ capacity and interest in a long-term collaboration. While funding constraints may limit early partnership development, researchers should initiate conversations as soon as possible. Asking partners to sign letters of support or providing them with outreach materials can help formalize engagement.

Define Roles, Expectations, and Engagement Processes

A successful CEnR project requires clear roles, shared expectations, and inclusive engagement processes between researchers and community partners. Establishing these elements early strengthens collaboration, ensures accountability, and enhances the project's impact.

Clarify roles and decision making.

To maintain strong partnerships, researchers and community partners should define:

• Project goals: What does the research aim to achieve? How will the findings benefit the community?
• CEnR spectrum: What level of engagement will the community have in the research process (e.g., Informed, Consulted, Involved, Collaborative, or Empowered)? How will this influence decision making and participation? How may this engagement evolve over time?
• Roles and responsibilities: Who is responsible for specific tasks? What contributions are expected from each partner?
• Decision-making authority: Who makes final decisions? How will conflicts be resolved?
• Measures of success: How will the research’s impact be assessed?

Developing group norms—such as expectations for collaboration, communication, and feedback—helps ensure that all voices are heard and valued. To formalize these agreements, researchers and community partners can:

• Draft a partnership agreement outlining commitments and roles.
• Hold collaborative planning sessions to establish priorities.
• Use structured reflection tools to revisit and refine goals over time.

Ensure accessible engagement.

For engagement to be meaningful, participation must be flexible and accessible. Strategies to support flexible engagement include:

• A mix of in-person and virtual meetings (e.g., video calls, phone check-ins, informal group chats)
• Varied scheduling to accommodate different availability (e.g., evenings, weekends, locations near public transportation)
• Supportive resources such as child care, meals, transportation vouchers, or interpretation services

By defining roles, expectations, and engagement processes from the outset, researchers and community partners create a strong foundation for working together, ensuring that the research is both actionable and meaningful to those it seeks to serve.

Secure Project Funding

Before CEnR projects can formally begin, researchers and their partners must secure adequate funding to support collaboration. It is critical to identify funders who align with CEnR values and ensure that budgets include funding for:

• Compensation for community partners: Salaries, stipends, honoraria, or other payments for their time and expertise
• Engagement logistics: Costs for food, transportation, child care, or meeting spaces to support participation of community partners
• Research training and resources: Trainings and materials that building the capacity of community partners to take active roles in the research process

Funding needs will vary depending on the level of engagement:

• In a consulted project, where community partners advise on research efforts, funding may cover researcher time and stipends for community input on specific activities.
• In an empowered project, where community partners lead research efforts, funding may cover logistical needs, stipends for engagement, and resources for training.

Researchers should familiarize themselves with institutional policies on payments to community partners—such as honoraria, consultant contracts, or stipends—to ensure smooth implementation.

Wrap Up

At this stage, researchers and community partners work together to build trust, define shared goals, and clarify roles. A strong partnership doesn’t happen overnight; it requires ongoing communication and flexibility. Securing funding or signing a contract is just the beginning. To create a lasting and effective collaboration, other key activities in the partner stage include the following:

• Communicate regularly with partners.
• Gather letters of support from local organizations and leaders.
• Develop group norms to guide collaboration and decision making.
• Engage in team-building activities to strengthen relationships and encourage open dialogue.

These steps help ensure that research is done with the community, rather than for or about them. By working together from the start, both researchers and community partners can make sure that the research leads to meaningful action.

Partner Resources

These resources provide practical tools and insights to support your work during the partner stage of your CEnR project. Resources are organized by project, with each project labeled according to where it generally falls on the CEnR spectrum. This structure helps you quickly identify relevant examples and guidance that align with your approach.