Making the Connection: Strengthening Community Partnerships in Preparation for Collaborative Research

There is a significant benefit in campus and community coalitions working together. Especially, as cancer disparities continue to plague our healthcare system. Literature supports collaboration with communities to co-develop interventions designed to address and reduce cancer disparities. This abstract highlights the development of a three phase process for the implementation of a community-based research training program to prepare both community and academic researchers for Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR). The Arkansas Cancer Community Network (AR-CCN) developed and implemented a program that included CBPR planning, Community Development, and pilot research. The tools developed included the Arkansas Community Action Training (AR-CAT) and the Coalitions Online web-collaborating tool which are meant to prepare the community partners and academic investigators to work together to conceptualize and implement a CBPR project. A competitive grant submission process was developed in order to introduce CBPR to the Cancer Councils. Six out of the seven Cancer Councils submitted CBPR Planning Grants. Four of the Cancer Councils were successful in their submission and participated in the training program. Three of the four Cancer Councils collaborated with AR-CCN to write a Community Development Proposal. Of those three, two received $10,000 grants to support implementation. The collaborative project collected data that provided pilot information to support the submission of an R24 CBPR Minority Health Disparities Proposal. The three phase process has allowed community and academic researchers to tailor interventions to the identified needs of the community and translate evidence-based interventions into sustainable community change. Process, benefits and challenges will be addressed.