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Community engagement guiding principles emphasize relationship-focused, mutually beneficial collaborations grounded in respect, honesty, and a recognition of the time and specialized knowledge our partners contribute.

Partner through a DEI lens

All community engagement and partnership work should be conducted through anti-racist and justice-centered approaches to address inequities that impact our campus community and Greater Baltimore. Take time to understand the historical contexts, past injustices and power differentials of partner organizations and their communities, and hold inclusive conversations, without making assumptions.

Listen first

Our community partners are experts on their communities and their needs. Their experiences, knowledge and voices should be at the table and respected throughout all stages of a collaboration — planning, implementation and reflection. Community representatives should be leaders in the partnership and their time should be recognized.

Be transparent and accountable

Partnership outcomes, shared and individual responsibilities, and timelines should be clearly built and revisited frequently alongside community partners. This information should be utilized to hold each other accountable while working toward shared goals. A partnership agreement can be utilized as an informal way to capture this information. If needed, a more formal memorandum of understanding is needed can be facilitated throught the Office of Engagement & Community Partnerhsips.

Ask for feedback and evaluate

All partners captured within the Engagement Database are asked to provide feedback on their partnership at the end of each academic year. It is ethically sound and necessary to welcome ongoing feedback from collaborators to measure successes and determine areas of improvement. This feedback is provided to the associated ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø faculty and/or staff. In addition to the annual feedback process, partners can submit feedback at any time using .

Faculty, staff and community partners should also develop indicators of success and implement custom evaluation methods to measure impact and identify areas of growth.

Disseminate outcomes

To maximize impact and benefit the broader community, research findings, partnership outcomes and lessons learned should be shared with both community partners and the public. Beyond scholarly journals and other traditional publications, outcomes should also be translated into accessible formats that reach a broader audience and support the public good. The Office of Engagement & Community Partnerships can assist in developing and disseminating these materials.

Explore new opportunities

There are a great deal of resources, needs and expertise across campus. Be open to brainstorming new collaborations with your community partner to expand beyond your college or division. The Office of Engagement & Community Partnerships is available to navigate new collaborations across campus.