Planting the Seeds for Building Research Capacity in Communities: Experiences of a Community-Based Research Network

Nurturing academics' and communities' capacity to conduct community-engaged research holds great promise for effectively addressing health disparities. However, how to best support collaborations beyond individual projects and across an entire community is unclear.

This study describes the development and structure of a community-based research network in Cleveland, Ohio. It examines the experiences of academic investigators and community members with the community-based research network and highlights lessons learned.

The mixed-methods study employed surveys, observations, and focus group data to examine participants' experiences.

Academic investigators found the community-based research network to be valuable across all phases of research. Community members gained knowledge and felt it was a safe space to share their expertise and experiences. Participants generally appreciated being in a space to connect with others who shared their interests.

The findings suggest that community-level research support can help encourage and advance academic/community research partnerships while broadening members' knowledge and networks.