Community-engaged research
Our philosophy: Research WITH communities for the betterment of society, not merely research ON communities for the betterment of science.
At VCU, community-engaged research is a collaborative process between the researcher and community partner that creates and disseminates knowledge and creative expression with the goal of contributing to the discipline and strengthening the well-being of the community.
As a high-impact practice, CEnR increases representation among first generation, Pell-eligible and underrepresented students, along with junior and underrepresented faculty and community partners as co-researchers.
Advocates assert that community-engaged research promotes better research and translation of findings. Other benefits of community-engaged research include development of research that is responsive to community need, increased capacity built through partnerships, expanded funding opportunities, and greater opportunities to translate findings into practice (Adapted from Carnegie and CDC, 2015).
Community-engaged research can be quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods:
- Community-based, participatory research
- Applied research
- Contractual research (funded by government, non-governmental organizations or business)
- Demonstration projects
- Needs and assets assessments
- Program evaluations
- Community stakeholders on project steering committees and other deliberative and decision-making bodies
- Community advisory boards
- Compensation for the community’s time and other contributions
- Dissemination of results back out to the community
- Takes time, collaboration and flexibility
- Focus groups or interviews
- A research methodology
- An add-on
- A one-size fits all approach
- Appropriate for all research
- Recruitment of minority research participants
- A relinquishing of all insight or control by researchers
ONE VCU Research Strategic Plan
As a public-serving R1 institution, VCU has developed the ONE VCU Research Strategic Plan “to enrich the human experience and advance human health and well-being through exceptionally creative, collaborative and community-engaged research. VCU focuses on achieving social impact through a culture of research collaboration, as set forth in the university’s strategic plan "Quest 2025: Together We Transform.”
CEnR resources
Resource Hub
A peer-reviewed central repository to incorporate community-engaged research across disciplines.
The Wright Center
Infrastructure and resources for interdisciplinary human health research
Society and Health
An academic research center that studies the health implications of social factors