Establishing authentic partnership is the cornerstone of successful Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). It's not a step you complete, but an ongoing process of mutual respect, trust, and shared power. Here's how to approach it:

1. Establishing Authentic Partnership with Community

This is an iterative process that requires time, humility, and genuine commitment.

Phase 1: Preparation & Self-Reflection (Before You Even Approach the Community)

• Understand Your "Why": Why are you interested in this community and this topic? What are your motivations, biases, and potential benefits? Be honest with yourself.


• Learn About the Community (from afar, initially):


• Research existing data: Demographics, history, key organizations, previous research, community assets, and challenges (from reports, news, public data).


• Identify existing community efforts: What initiatives are already underway? Who are the local leaders, formal and informal?


• Cultural competence: Begin to educate yourself on the community's culture, values, communication styles, and historical context (e.g., historical injustices, previous negative research experiences).


• Define Your Non-Negotiables & Flexibilities:


• What are the core research questions you're interested in? Are you open to completely re-shaping them based on community input? (In CBPR, you must be).


• What resources (time, funding, personnel, expertise) are you bringing to the table?


• What are your institutional requirements (IRB, grant deadlines)? How flexible are these?


• Acknowledge Power Dynamics: As a researcher (especially from an institution), you hold power. Be conscious of this and actively seek ways to share and balance it.

Phase 2: Initial Engagement & Relationship Building (The "Listening" Phase)

This is NOT about coming with a pre-designed study. It's about listening, learning, and building trust.

• Seek Trusted Intermediaries/Gatekeepers: Don't just cold-call. Identify respected community members, leaders, or organizations who can make warm introductions. This signals respect for existing social structures.


• Go Where the Community Is: Attend community events, meetings, festivals, or gatherings without an agenda. Just be present, listen, and observe. Show genuine interest in what's important to them.


• Introduce Yourself and Your Intentions Humbly:


• Clearly state who you are, what institution you're from, and why you are interested in partnering.


• Emphasize your desire to listen and learn about their priorities, needs, and strengths.


• Do not arrive with a project already designed. Your message should be: "I have expertise in X, and I'm interested in using that expertise to address challenges important to this community. What are those challenges?"


• Listen, Listen, Listen:


• Prioritize understanding their perspective, language, and priorities.


• Ask open-ended questions: "What are the biggest strengths in your community?" "What are the most pressing issues?" "What has worked well in the past?" "What hasn't?"


• Resist the urge to offer solutions or "fix" things. Your role at this stage is to hear and understand.


• Build Individual Relationships: Spend time getting to know people on a personal level. Share meals, attend events, have informal conversations. Trust is built person-to-person.


• Be Transparent About Commitments and Limitations: Be upfront about the time, resources, and institutional constraints you operate under. Manage expectations from the beginning.


• Identify Potential Community Partners/Champions: Look for individuals or organizations genuinely interested in collaborative problem-solving and who have credibility within the community.

Phase 3: Co-Creating the Partnership Structure & Study Design (Formalizing the Collaboration)

Once initial trust is established and a shared interest emerges, move to structuring the partnership.

• Establish a Community Advisory Board (CAB) or Steering Committee:


• Co-create its structure: How often will it meet? What are the roles of members? How will decisions be made?


• Ensure diverse representation: Include formal leaders, informal leaders, diverse age groups, genders, ethnicities, and those most affected by the issue. Compensate them fairly for their time and expertise.


• Define roles and responsibilities jointly: Researchers and community members must have clear, mutually agreed-upon roles.


• Develop Shared Vision and Goals:


• Identify the research question(s) together: These must be priorities for the community, not just the researchers.


• Determine desired outcomes: What does success look like for both the community and the research?


• Develop a Statement of Principles/MOU: A non-legal document outlining the values, principles, and expectations of the partnership (e.g., shared decision-making, mutual respect, transparency, reciprocity, data ownership, authorship).


• Shared Decision-Making Processes:


• How will decisions be made regarding research design, methods, data collection, analysis, interpretation, dissemination, and intervention development?


• Implement consensus-based decision-making whenever possible.


• Acknowledge and address power imbalances within the decision-making structure.


• Budget for Reciprocity & Capacity Building:


• Compensate community partners: Their time, expertise, and contributions are valuable. This includes meeting stipends, childcare, transportation, and tangible benefits.


• Allocate funds for community-defined needs: This could be for training, capacity building workshops, or resources for community organizations.


• Invest in sustainability: How will the benefits of the research continue beyond the study's funding cycle?


• Discuss Data Ownership and Dissemination:


• Who owns the data? What are the agreements for accessing, analyzing, and publishing it? (Often, it's jointly owned).


• How will findings be shared back with the community in accessible and actionable ways before they are published academically?


• Who has authorship on publications?

Phase 4: Sustaining and Nurturing the Partnership (Ongoing Throughout the Study)

Authentic partnership is maintained through consistent effort.

• Regular, Transparent Communication:


• Keep all partners informed about progress, challenges, and next steps.


• Be honest when things go wrong and work together to find solutions.


• Use language that is accessible and culturally appropriate.


• Respect All Forms of Knowledge: Value community knowledge, lived experience, and traditional wisdom as equally valid and important as academic expertise.


• Be Flexible and Adaptable: Research plans may need to change based on community feedback or unforeseen circumstances. Be prepared to pivot.


• Celebrate Successes (Big and Small): Acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of all partners.


• Address Conflicts Constructively: Develop agreed-upon methods for resolving disagreements respectfully.


• Provide Ongoing Training and Capacity Building: Offer workshops on research methods, grant writing, or other relevant skills if desired by the community.


• Give Back to the Community: Look for opportunities to support community initiatives beyond the scope of the immediate research project.


• Long-Term Commitment: Demonstrate that your engagement isn't just for the duration of a grant. Maintain connections even after the study concludes.