Building Research for Academic and Community Equity (BRACE): A Toolkit for Community Research Partnerships

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research
• Health services research
• Academic-community engagement

Background:

• Community organizations and researchers possess valuable insights but lack effective interaction methods.
• Existing research engagement models often fail to ensure equitable partnerships.
• Bridging the gap between community insights and academic research is crucial for impactful health and human services initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Building Research for Academic and Community Equity (BRACE) toolkit.
• To provide accessible resources for community members and academic researchers.
• To foster equitable and meaningful collaborations in research.

Main Methods:

• The BRACE toolkit is conceptualized by and for community organization professionals.
• It employs community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles.
• The toolkit includes sections on identifying partnership aspects and grant proposal writing.

Main Results:

• BRACE offers clear explanations of research information and jargon for community members.
• It guides both community organizations and academics in forming research partnerships.
• The toolkit facilitates the identification of ideal partnership components and grant writing strategies.

Conclusions:

• The BRACE toolkit empowers community organizations to engage equitably with academic researchers.
• It provides practical tools to build and sustain community-academic research partnerships.
• Such resources can enhance the impact and reach of community-engaged research.