Research Collaboration with Community Organizations: A Case Example
This case example details a collaborative research experience between an urban state university and a community-based organization. The project combined the author's interest in midlife volunteering with the organization's need for long-term planning in volunteer and program development. Important components of this endeavor mirror those previously reported in the literature as necessary for collaborative success, including shared concerns, good timing, strong stakeholder groups, involvement of high-level visible leaders, and development of respect and trust. In addition, the author found that prior involvement between the university and the organization helped, as did the author's prior experience with collaborative efforts. Also discussed are the positive outcomes and challenges of undertaking academic research with community organizations.