Case Study for a Research Capacity Building Initiative for Community-Based Organizations

Area of Science:

• Community-engaged research
• Health disparities research
• Research capacity building

Background:

• The Research Center in Minority Institutions (FIU-RCMI) focuses on health disparities research and training.
• Community-based organizations (CBOs) are key partners in addressing health inequities.
• Existing funding mechanisms may not fully meet the capacity-building needs of CBOs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and modification of the Community Research Enhancement Grant (CREG) program.
• To illustrate how the CREG initiative was adapted to meet the evolving needs of local CBOs.
• To highlight the importance of stakeholder feedback in designing research capacity-building programs.

Main Methods:

• The 2023 CREG funding cycle was restructured using Cooke's (2005) four-stage Research Capacity Building (RCB) framework.
• The program was reconceptualized as a capacity-building opportunity based on feedback from previous awardees.
• An iterative feedback process involving diverse stakeholders was employed.

Main Results:

• The CREG initiative was successfully modified to better serve the needs of local CBOs.
• Reconceptualizing CREG as a capacity-building opportunity enhanced its effectiveness.
• The restructured program demonstrated alignment with community and researcher needs.

Conclusions:

• An iterative feedback process is crucial for developing effective research capacity-building initiatives.
• Adapting programs based on stakeholder input ensures relevance and impact.
• This approach strengthens community-engaged research partnerships and outcomes.