Principle 10: 

Commitment to a long-term, sustainable process

CBPR takes time, resources, commitment and energy of the research partnership to ensure ownership and sustainability. This includes considering the project’s short, medium and long term goals and the impact it will have after the academic researchers have left the partnership.

Capacities (competencies and conditions)

        Flexibility and commitment to move the partnership and the project forward through both high and low points and to sustain efforts over time

        Ability to encourage sustainability of partnership by investing in and maintaining (a) the partnership, (b) its capacity and resources, (c) infrastructure, and (d) research products

        Capacity to think forward and build sustainable structures before the project ends

        Skill to engage stakeholders and share plans for sustaining efforts

        Investment in core resources (people, funds, committees, systems)

        Programme activities are either incorporated into the structures of the original organisation, integrated into another institution or government, or the programme itself becomes an autonomous agency such as an independent charitable organisation

  •         Stakeholders have a better understanding of the importance of sustainability, enabling the facilitation of community empowerment within the participatory development process

            Enhanced likelihood that the partnership will continue and that research results will be translated into action and institutionalised within the community

  •         Co-develop processes that support and facilitate citizen participation in local governance

            Reflective workshops to develop a ‘critical consciousness’ about ownership and sustainability

            Planning workshops to consider the future of the partnership leadership, which is essential in avoiding stagnation or dissipation in a movement, recognising that funded involvement of academic partners is time bound

            Create structures to nurture and sustain the partnership including developing ‘group rules’ or formal memoranda of understanding to guide the work. Frequent check-ins on partnership process and not merely task-related updates to build and maintain effective collaborations

            Jointly define sustainable capacity for the programme at the outset

            Encourage grassroots community involvement to support long-term sustainability. Community membership and their buy-in are important for the visioning and implementation process and for the long-term desired health and social change

  •         Linkages to other groups and communities

            Evidence of impact such as policy change or increased capacity

            Demonstrated financial independence through new partnerships and local autonomy in decision-making

            Increase in ability to independently undertake policy related change

  •         Sustainability plans

            Audio visual outputs such as blogs, vlogs and podcasts

            Assessments of community readiness to take over projects

            Resource reports detailing external project support

            Grant/funding applications (led by community groups)

            Advocacy for sustainable organisations, resources and networks

*Please note that some statements are adaptations or direct quotes from the papers listed in the reference section