CBPR/Evidence for Engagement:

The Evidence for Engagement (E2) Project

Goal: to extend the science of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) by developing measures and collective-reflection tools to strengthen partnerships; and to identify promising collaborative practices that contribute to health outcomes. (See Community Engagement Tools and Resources below)

CBPR Evidence for Engagement (E2):

• Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Community Engaged Research (CEnR) have grown rapidly in the last decades in the U.S. and internationally as a core approach to reduce health inequities. Despite this rapid growth, there has been no national consensus on measures or metrics of partnering practices, nor on promising or best practices that contribute to research, community capacity and system changes, or health outcomes. Without internal evaluation and self-reflection, adoption of best practices for partnership quality improvement and health impact has been limited.
• To address these gaps, UNM-CPR since 2006 has been engaged with national and international partners, including a Think Tank of community and academic CBPR practitioners, in three stages of NIH-funding (2006–2009; 2009–2013; 2015-2021) to promote the value of community, patient and other stakeholder participation for achieving health outcomes. A fourth stage of PCORI engagement funding (2021-2023), E2 PLUS, scaled up the application of E2 tools and best practices to transform Academic Health Center structures, policies, and norms to better support patient and community engaged research.

E2 Methodology:

• Evidence for Engagement (E2) (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2015-2022; 1R01NR015241-01A1), builds on previous NIH research, successfully completed (see History of CBPR Engage for Equity)
• Our engage methods have included: 
  • Internet surveys of 179 federally-funded research projects (NIH, PCORI, AHRQ, CDC) in 2015; and 36 pilot grantees in 2017.
  • Randomized control trial for 68 partnerships into workshops (n=40) versus those receiving access to E2 website tools and resources (n=28).
  • National convenings of Think Tank of community and academic CBPR/CEnR experts to provide input and ongoing guidance on future directions.

E2 Tools and Resources:

• A validated CBPR Model for visioning and strategic planning, evaluation, organizational and community development, and partnership quality improvement.
• CBPR Visioning Guide for Strategic Planning and Evaluation
• Two Survey Instruments: Key Informant Survey (KIS) and Community Engagement Survey (CES) with validated measures and metrics for promising partnering practices and outcomes (in English and Spanish).
• Qualitative Guides for Partnerships: Focus Group, Interview, and Checklist for Reflection on Promising Practices Constructs.
• Workshops for partnership teams that provide collective-empowerment reflection tools and resources (see Facilitation Guide).
• Website (https://engageforequity) in collaboration with Community Campus Partnerships for Health with public access to instruments, tools, videos, facilitation guides, and other resources.
• Analysis of Best and Promising Partnership and Engagement Practices that are associated with research, community capacity and health outcomes.
• Engage for Equity Project Values, Data Sharing, Ownership and Publishing Agreement.

CBPR & Community Engagement: Engage for Equity Publications