The application period for this program is closed.
The receipients of this community capacity building training program are:
- Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
- Brazilian Women’s Group
- Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy
- Common Pathways: The Worcester Healthy Communities Coalition of Central Massachusetts
- Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
- Health Resources in Action/Boston Urban Asthma Coalition
- Multicultural AIDS Coalition
- Neponset Health Center
- Reaching Out About Depression -- Community Affairs Department, Cambridge Health Alliance
- The Welcome Project, Inc.
Congratulations to all of these recipients.
Overview: The fundamental goal of this program is to build capacity in community-based organizations to participate in community engaged research by providing relevant, interactive training sessions that utilize local examples and that support participants as they develop projects for their organizations. Ten organizations will be selected to participate in this program which will begin January 2010.
Why is this program important?
Government and private funding agencies are putting more and more emphasis on community engaged research. Research institutions are recognizing that in order for the development, execution, and dissemination of research to have a meaningful impact on public health, it should involve significant input from the community.
What is community engaged research?
Community engaged research is a process that involves both community and academic partners in the research process. The community partner could be involved with identifying the research question, collecting and analyzing data, and helping to disseminate the findings to the larger community.
Who is eligible?
Community-based organizations with a fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply. The applicant organization must designate at least one employee to participate in the trainings. This program is interested in working with experienced community members who have an interest in research, but have not had the opportunity for research training.
What benefit will this program provide to the participating individual?
- Participants will gain detailed knowledge about the different types of community engaged research, with a focus on Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR).
- Participants will be matched with an academic mentor who will help their organization to develop a research plan.
- Participants will receive a stipend of $1500 for participating in the program. In cases where more than one individual is representing an organization, the staff members will divide the $1,500 honorarium.
- Participants will complete education requirements for human subjects research.
What benefit will this program provide to participating organizations?
- Organizations will build their capacity to engage in research equally with academic partners.
- Organizations will have staff who are knowledgeable about research.
- Organizations will receive $3500 to support involvement of staff in this program. This is in addition to the participating individual’s $1500 stipend.
What does the training consist of?
The training will consist of the following modules:
- Why bother with research?
- Protecting your community - research ethics
- Research from the community perspective
- Research 101
- Working on a research proposal
- Summary session – Taking research into the community
Over the course of the program, participants will also develop a research plan on a specific topic for their organization.
What is the time commitment?
The training period will take place between January 2010 and June 2010. In January, the training will start with a six hour, day long seminar followed by four monthly three hour sessions. In June, the training will end with another six hour session. All sessions will take place during normal business hours. All participants are expected to come to all the training sessions. There will also be some work assigned in between sessions.
Background
This training program is a collaborative effort with the Tufts Clinical Translational Science Institute (CTSI), Harvard Catalyst, the Center for Community Health Education, Research and Service (CCHERS), and the Immigrant Service Providers Group/Health (ISPG/H.) This program is being funded by an American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant award from the National Institutes of Health as a supplemental award to Grant Number UL1 RR025752 from the National Center For Research Resources and as part of their efforts to invest in new research that explores ideas that have the potential to speed the translation of research to improve health.
Application Guidelines
- Fill out the application form.
- Each staff member who would like to participate in the training is requested to submit a one page statement of interest which includes the following: a) Description of your position in the organization and how increasing research skills/knowledge would benefit your position and organization. b) Description of your research interests. c) Experience, if any, in community engaged research. d) Existing partnerships with researchers, if any.
- The Executive Director is requested to submit a one page letter of support, which should include the following: a) Outline of the mission of the organization, the geographic reach and demographics of the population the organization serves and the types of services the organization provides. b) Description of research interests of the organization/community. c) Given the research needs and interests of the organization/community, why is this individual(s) a good candidate for this training program? d) Semi-finalists will be interviewed on-site at their organization.
Post Award Requirements
- The recipient organization will be asked to complete a Memorandum of Understanding prior to the start of the program.
- Participants should be aware that this program is part of a research study to develop and test curriculum.
Important Application Dates
November 2, 2009, 5 p.m.: Last day to submit applications
November 3 - 13: Review of applications
November 16 - 20: Committee selects semi-finalists to be interviewed
November 23: Semi-finalists contacted
November 30 – December 11: On-site interviews
December 18: Applicants notified of status
FAQ's
For more information or technical assistance, contact:
Carolyn Leung
Program Manager
Aligning Researchers and Communities for Health (ARCH) Tufts CTSI
cleung1@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
617-636-8611
Jennifer Opp
Community Liaison Officer
Harvard Catalyst
jopp@hsph.harvard.edu
617-384-5453
