The components and core curriculum of the CBPR Partnership Academy are described below. Although we are not currently accepting applicants, we hope to offer the program in the near future. Please watch the Detroit URC home page for future announcements. We also offer an online course in CBPR and may continue to offer a summer course at the University of Michigan titled, “Methods in Community-Based Participatory Research for Health." 

For updated information please check https://sph.umich.edu/umsse/courses/ early 2020.

Past cohorts of the CBPR Partnership Academy have included the curriculum described below.

One-Week Intensive Course

The CBPR Partnership Academy has kicked off with an intensive, all-expenses-paid course at the University of Michigan (U-M) in Ann Arbor, MI. Titled Innovative Methods in CBPR, this hands-on, collaborative course has facilitated intensive learning about CBPR principles, partnership development, innovative behavioral and social science research methods, joint data interpretation and application, and more. Drawing on curricula and materials from the Detroit URC's highly regarded half-day short course on CBPR (jointly conducted as part of the Graduate Summer Session in Epidemiology), this expanded course has emphasized rigorous methodology, such as the use of mixed methods and alternative research designs. The following provides a brief description of the core curriculum that has been covered in the course.

Introduction to CBPR: Overview of CBPR, including: definition, rationale, and principles­ all using the Detroit URC as a case example. Equity, ethical conduct of research, and cultural humility have been highlighted as integral to CBPR.

Survey Methods in CBPR: Innovative use of survey questionnaires in a Detroit URC-affiliated CBPR effort: Community Action Against Asthma (CAAA). This session has addressed how CAAA surveys were designed and implemented using a CBPR approach, the roles academic and community partners played in the process, and the challenges and strengths of involving community members as survey interviewers.

Research Design in CBPR: Innovative behavioral and social science research designs that complement randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs, such as randomized staggered intervention designs. Two case examples of CBPR intervention studies by Detroit URC-affiliated partnerships have been presented.

Focus Groups in CBPR: This session has covered how and why the REACH Detroit Partnership used the focus-group method as part of their CBPR studies, including insights about how academic and community partners were involved in different phases, and challenges and limitations of the focus-group method within the context of CBPR.

Responsible Conduct of Research: Formal instruction provided in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) within the context of CBPR.

Data Interpretation, Analysis, & Dissemination in CBPR: This session has covered strategies that the Healthy Environments Partnership (HEP) used for collecting data and sharing results using multiple data collection methods (e.g., survey questionnaire, focus groups, observational data, photovoice), and examined how the group engaged community members in the interpretation, analysis, prioritization, action planning and dissemination process.

Mixed Methods: The relevance and application of the use of mixed methods within the behavioral and social sciences (i.e., quantitative and qualitative) in CBPR has been addressed. Topics have included rationale for using mixed methods in CBPR to address health inequities, the timing and sequencing of mixed methods, and strategies for combining the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative methods to provide a more comprehensive view of a given phenomenon and to evaluate interventions.

Trip to Detroit: Participate in a guided tour of Detroit highlighting the impact of social and physical environments on health and what communities are doing about it. The tour includes visits to select Detroit URC partner organizations engaged in CBPR.

Partnership Evaluation Using In-Depth Interviews: Using the Detroit URC as a case example, this session has examined the use of in-depth interviews for evaluating the process and impact of CBPR partnerships, and the rationale for doing so); the role of all partners in conducting the evaluation; and lessons learned about incorporating in-depth interviews as part of behavioral and social science studies using a CBPR approach.

Next Steps & CBPR Project Planning: This final session has addressed how to pursue CBPR start-up projects, as well as taking advantage of post-class education and engagement activities and mentoring opportunities available. The session concludes with a reception for participants and instructors.

Year-Long Learning & Support 

After learning about the principles and practices of CBPR in the summer course, CBPR "Scholars" participated in Partnership Academy ongoing-learning activities and resources that helped guide them through the process of developing and implementing a CBPR partnership. In addition to receiving a Partnership Formation Guidance Checklist, each partnership team had a community and academic mentor during the program year, and were eligible for a small partnership development/project grant to help bring their CBPR initiative to fruition. Participants also received quarterly Detroit URC e-newsletters (including updates about funding opportunities); and were invited to CBPR-related meetings, webinars, and interactive forums.

Community-Academic Scholars Network

Following the short course and the year-long education and engagement activities, another key component of the experiential CBPR Partnership Academy was that it offered ongoing participation in a nationwide Community-Academic Scholars Network, which was designed to foster continued learning and innovation in behavioral and social science research using a CBPR approach. Members have had access to short-course curriculum materials and member profiles, received invitations to peer-engagement events, and otherwise benefited from ongoing CBPR-related networking and career-development activities.

Round 4 Projects:   

Today’s complex public health problems demand a collaborative, engaged research approach, whereby those most impacted by health inequities have a genuine “voice” in pursuing solutions.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is widely recognized as an effective approach for understanding and addressing health inequities—and for giving communities an equitable stake in the process of doing so. The Detroit Urban Research Center established the CBPR Partnership Academy to support the increased use of a CBPR approach by developing enhanced skills and knowledge of community-academic research teams.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the CBPR Partnership Academy is a multi-faceted training and mentoring program designed for new community-academic partnerships that are interested in exploring and engaging in a CBPR approach to eliminate health inequities in their communities. Three academy cohorts completed the program between 2015 and 2018, and an additional year of funding provided an opportunity for all three cohorts to extend their participation. Click here to read about the extension of the CBPR Partnership Academy. 

Academy opportunities and program components have been as follows:

• Week-long intensive course at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI;
• Monthly learning activities (e.g., webinars, mentoring calls, and online forums) during the one-year program period;
• Non-competitive grant proposal writing and funding opportunity; and
• National CBPR Partnership Academy Network (to engage in group discussions, share ideas, resources, and provide feedback). 

In each cohort, a total of 12, two-person teams were selected for the CBPR Partnership Academy through a competitive review process (click here for past eligibility requirements). All program expenses were covered for participants, including tuition, travel, meals, lodging, materials, and ongoing learning activities. Those selected for the Partnership Academy worked in pairs of one community member and one academic researcher.

Teams who participated in the Academy came away with enhanced capabilities, knowledge, and skills for creating, implementing, and maintaining a successful CBPR partnership using innovative methods in the behavioral and social sciences to make a positive difference in the health and well-being of their local populations.

The 72 participants were pairs of one community and one academic partner new to CBPR. Participants reflected multiple dimensions of diversity, including 18 states and 2 tribal nations, 2/3 from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in research, multiple disciplines, and 81% of the researchers were women. Accomplishments of partnerships included: grants funded; research studies conducted; and dissemination through presentations, publications, workshops, and courses.

“More people are coming to us and asking how to do CBPR, how to find a partner… People are excited by the approach and recognize that it brings something unique to the work that we’re trying to do.”  ~ Community partner

Promoting CBPR to Achieve Health Equity: The CBPR Partnership Academy Symposium

In May of 2019,the Detroit Urban Research Center (Detroit URC) was delighted to host a one-and-a-half day Symposium featuring participants in the CBPR Partnership Academy Network of Scholars. The Symposium, titled “Promoting Community-Based Participatory Research to Achieve Health Equity,” was held at U-M’s Detroit Center.

The Symposium highlighted the work of Partnership Academy participants. Utilizing panel presentations, lightning talks, and poster presentations, teams shared their accomplishments and strategies in developing partnerships and implementing a wide range of CBPR projects - from designing culturally-grounded wellness programs to using digital storytelling to amplify community voices. In addition to formal opportunities to discuss issues and learn from each other in small groups, there were ample opportunities for networking and informal conversations.  Keynote speakers included Al Richmond , MSW, CCPH, Executive Director, Community Campus Partnerships for Health , founding member and past chair of the Community-Based Public Health Caucus and the National Community Based Organization Network and Abdul El-Sayed, MD, PhD, Rhodes Scholar, physician, epidemiologist, public health expert, and progressive activist.

Click here for a PDF of the event program.

 Please see photos and profiles of selected teams below.

Photos – 2017-2018 Cohort Team Bios – 2017-2018 Cohort		Photos – 2016-2017 Cohort Team Bios – 2016-2017 Cohort		Photos – 2015-2016 Cohort Team Bios – 2015-2016 Cohort

Additional Program Information: 

• Eligibility & Application Requirements
• Core Curriculum
• Participant Testimonials (YouTube Video Clips)
• CBPR Partnership Academy Instructors & Mentors
• CBPR Partnership Academy Resources 

Publications, Presentations, & Posters:

• Article: Results From the CBPR Partnership Academy
• Article: Experiential Action Learning Pedagogy to Enhance CBPR (2019)
  • Coombe, C.M., Schulz, A.J., Brakefield-Caldwell, W., Gray, C., Guzman, J.R., Kieffer, E., Lewis, T., Reyes, A.G., Rowe, Z., Israel, B.A. (In press). Applying experiential action learning pedagogy to enhance community-academic partnerships: A weeklong intensive course in CBPR. Pedagogy in Health Promotion.
• American Public Health Association Annual Meeting Presentations, Panels, and Posters
  • 2019
    • Enhancing and sustaining learning and innovation in CBPR: The CBPR Partnership Academy Scholars Network
  • 2018
    • Building Capacity to Foster Community-University Partnerships for Health and Equity: Results from an Evaluation of the Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership Academy
  • 2017
    • Capacity building to foster the development of community-university partnerships: lessons learned from the CBPR Partnership Academy
      • Capacity building for developing equal community-academic partnerships: The community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership academy
      • Building community capacity to address health equity in Tacoma WA: Lessons learned from an academic-public health community-based participatory research partnership
      • Establishing a community steering committee through a community-based participatory approach: Lessons learned from the FAITH! (Fostering African-American Improvement in Total Health) program
      • Results from a process and impact evaluation of the CBPR Partnership Academy: Lessons learned for developing community-academic partnerships for health and equity
  • 2016
    • Innovative strategies to enhance community-academic partnerships for health equity: Results from the CBPR Partnership Academy
  • 2015
    • Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Partnership Academy: A national initiative to promote health equity by enhancing CBPR capacity

CBPR: Enhancing Capacity to Use Innovative Methodologies in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (the Enhance Program) is funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award #1R25GM111837-01. Related materials do not necessarily represent views of NIH.

Job Funding Source:Grant Funded Position

Salary: $15-$18 hr depending on experience and seniority

Time Frame: May, 10hrs/week; June-July, 20 hrs/week; with the potential for work in August, 

Part-time, Temporary

Employer: Detroit Youth Passages Project in the Department of Health Behavior, Health Education

Reports to: Co-Investigator

Job Scope: We are looking to hire 2-4 experienced and mature outreach workers with proven ability to negotiate high stress urban environments, like night clubs and areas of known prostitution, for a research project examining sexual vulnerability and youth in Detroit.

Project Description:
The Detroit Youth Passages project uses a human rights framework and close community partnerships with the Ruth Ellis Center, Alternatives for Girls, and the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation serving marginalized youth in Detroit to investigate the structural conditions that contribute to sexual vulnerability among disadvantaged youth. Thus far, we have collected extensive ethnographic data, including in-depth interviews with youth of Detroit and these data provided the basis for design of a venue-based survey to be carried out in summer of 2012.

Job Description:
Summer work will focus on carrying out a venue based survey among young adults ages 18-30 in several urban venues ranging from night clubs to areas of known street-based prostitution in Detroit. Thus, the ideal candidate will have experience working with youth and issues of sexuality in challenging urban environments.

The Research Assistant will:

• Visit night clubs to build rapport and negotiate access for interviews;
• Be an ambassador for the project;
• Support the recruitment of survey participants;
• Manage a research team for on-site interviews;
• Participate in May team training and weekly team project meetings

A desirable candidate will have:

• Experience conducting outreach in urban Detroit, ideally with minority youth;
• Familiarity and sensitivity to providing social support to youth / young adults;
• Willingness to work in Detroit on a flexible schedule, including some nights and weekends;
• Experience collaborating on a large research team;
• Experience supervising street-based social service or research teams;
• Experience negotiating entry into challenging non-research environments, including venues such as erotic dance clubs, night clubs;
• Professionalism.

Required Skills:

• An Associate’s Degree plus a minimum of 3-5 years’ experience working with youth and/or issues of sexual vulnerability and/or work in the social service sector OR a College degree with experience working in the social service sector, with youth, or with issues of sexual vulnerability.
• Demonstrated familiarity with public health research and/or outreach in Detroit communities;
• Prior experience working with vulnerable populations including commercial sex workers, transgendered persons, and youth.
• Access to a reliable vehicle and able to travel around Detroit

Preferred Skills:

• Spanish speakers a plus
• Flexible work schedule

Work Location: University of Michigan Detroit Center, community organizations, and specified venues around the city.

Interested candidates please submit a resume and a brief description of skills to Jessica Moorman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please write “DYP Research Assistant” in the subject line.