Community Convenings are in-person gatherings that bring together community members and researchers for facilitated discussions. These events are held at faith-based organizations or nearby community hubs. The conversations are guided by a community leader and representative from a faith-based organization, such as a pastor. Community members attending the convening learn about All of Us research from representatives of community organizations, All of Us Research Program participants, and researchers themselves.

Community members can also ask questions and talk about their thoughts and opinions. Researchers, community organization leaders, and All of Us research participants talk directly with community members and answer their questions.

Research teams that want to host their own Community Convenings should think about creating a planning team that includes community members, researchers, and participants from their study. They should consider several key factors, which include selecting a suitable venue, and deciding if the session will be filmed and posted online. Close collaboration with community organizations is crucial to navigate budgetary constraints and make informed decisions.  The advertising and other types of promotion of event to reach people to attend, such as on the radio, social media, or in newspapers.

Stage(s) of Research Process:

Planning for a Community Convening requires time and should start before the beginning of a research study.

• Study Planning: Researchers should build relationships with community organizations, including religious organizations, and work with these groups to choose the best way to host a Community Convening. The research team and their community partners can begin to select a place to hold the event and determine the costs.
• Study Conduct: During the research study, the researchers can work with their community partners and study participants to tell them how the study is going and let them know about any problems they are facing. This shows respect and trust between research teams, community partners and research participants. This trust and respect will increase the success of the Community Convening when the study is finished.
• Post-Study: The final planning for the Community Convenings occurs after the study is over. The planning should still include community organizations and religious organizations. The people planning the Community Convening should make sure that the way they give the study’s results to the community is helpful and easy to understand.

Who Might Benefit:

• Researchers
  • Can use the Community Convenings as one way to discuss research findings with community members.
  • Should think about who the right community or religious organization is to work with and build a trusting partnership early in the study planning process.
• Communities can watch previous Community Convenings to learn about All of Us research. If community members are asked to participate in a research study, they could think about telling researchers that they would like to have a Community Convening at the end of the study.

Key Takeaways and Examples in Practice:

• Working with people the community trusts is important when deciding how to return research results to community members.
• By working with community organizations and community leaders, research teams can make better choices on when to hold the event, where to hold it, and how to make sure it is a helpful experience for people that attend.
• The research results should be presented by community leaders, research participants, and researchers. They should use words and examples that are meaningful to the people who attend the Community Convening.
• The people chosen to present during the Community Convening should represent diverse perspectives and include community leaders and research participants.
• Researchers should think about talking with community members before they start their research study. This can help them identify the best way to return the research results in a helpful way.

This work was done with the direct support by each of the following partners who advance this work:

• NIH All of Us Division of Engagement and Outreach (DEO)
• Pyxis Partners
• Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
• Tuskegee University
• Faith-based Genomic Research Institute
• And special thanks to representatives, panelists, support, and collaboration from the following partners
  • Delta Research and Educational Foundation
  • InGENEuity, LLC
  • Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington
  • John Hopkins School of Medicine
  • Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD
  • National Medical Association/Cobb Institute
  • Real Chemistry
  • St. John Baptist Church, Columbia MD
  • The Henrietta Lacks Initiative
  • The Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, Columbia, MD

Keywords: Return on Research Value, Methods of Engagement, Equitable Engagement, Collaborative Decision-Making; Researchers; Communities

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Links to Relevant Resources:

• Example of a Flyer Advertising a Faith-Based Community Convening
• Example of a Flyer Advertising a Faith-Based Community Convening (II)
• Example of an Event Page for a Faith-Based Community Convening
• Video of Session 1 of Macon County Community Convening: Moving Us Forward!
• Video of Session 2 of Macon County Community Convening: Lessons Learned from the Past
• Video of Session 3 of Macon County Community Convening: Opportunities to Collaborate
• Publication Describing How All of Us Participants Define Return of Value in Research
• News Article Describing Macon County Community Convening: Discussing Medical Wrongs
• News Video Describing Macon County Community Convening: Medical Research Transparency
• 2022 All of Us Engagement and Outreach Annual Report
• 2023 All of Us Engagement and Outreach Annual Report
• Contact the NIH All of Us Research Program
• Contact the NIH All of Us Research Program Division of Engagement and Outreach at [email protected]

Definitions for each engagement objective can be found in the glossary.