Frequently Asked Questions

A: To advance health and well-being for everyone, everywhere, address the root causes of health disparities, and meaningfully engage people and communities most affected, a paradigm shift is needed. That shift requires moving beyond platitudes and transactional “box-checking” approaches to community engagement. To understand and disseminate improved practices, research is needed on effective approaches for authentic shared decision-making, competency building, asset-based engagement, and value reciprocity.  Establishment of the Health Equity Research Network (HERN) on Community-Driven Research Approaches can help to facilitate the needed shift in how community-driven research is currently conducted.  In support of that objective and the goal of fair and just opportunities for improved health for all, this HERN has two primary aims:

1. Build a critical mass of knowledge and momentum around equity-focused, community-driven methodological approaches and practices to transform how health-related knowledge is created, validated, and used.

2. Advance research on mitigating the effects of structural racism and other intersecting systems that perpetuate health disparities through funding and capacity support.

The key outcome of this HERN is the establishment of new models for community-driven research that can be scaled and used as a foundation for shifting norms, paradigms and practices within all domains of health research.

A: Health Equity Research Networks (HERN) are part of the AHA’s multi-pronged approach to advance cardiovascular health for all, including identifying and removing barriers to health care access and quality. These networks are designed to aggressively address adverse social determinants of health while working to improve the health of communities who are most impacted.  While past HERN models have required Partner Hubs (traditionally called Centers) to apply as a collective, this project will allow Partner Hubs to apply separately to allow for more topical and geographic  diversity across the Network.

A: Each partner hub submission will include two research projects. Community-based organizations and academic institutions will work in concert with the CERC to optimize the implementation plan for the proposed project during the first year of the grant. The Partner Hub projects will be led by Co-Project Principal Investigators (PI), one from the CBO and one from the academic institution, and must have the necessary research team, required infrastructure and ability to recruit and retain a diverse group of study participants.

• Each Partner Hub must be represented by both a community-based organization and a research institution. The two entities must have an established relationship and evidence of successful past collaboration. 
• At least 30% of key personnel of the collaborative research team must be from groups that are under-represented in science and medicine (Black/African American; Hispanic/Latino; Native American or Alaska Native; Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; LGBTQ+; women).
• Each partner hub will be required to host Trainees throughout the duration of the award. As detailed below, at least 50% of Trainees will be from groups that are under-represented in science and medicine.

Community and Institutional Co-Directors will be a key component of each Partner Hub. Each Co-Director will facilitate activities within his/her/their organization and work closely with the CERC and other Co-Directors to facilitate activities across the Network, including end-of-network deliverables.

A: AHA anticipates awarding three (3) Partner Hubs to establish the Network.

A: The maximum budget amount per Partner Hub is $5,000,000.  All budget items for the Hub are to be entered into the project budgets, including salary and fringe for Hub Director / Co-Director, other leadership, training, or travel expenses.  The total award amount should be split between the projects.  There is no Hub Center budget.

A:  Once the Director creates the Partner Hub application, the Director will add Project PIs in the Third-Party Personnel section and create a linked Project application. The Project application will appear in the Project PI’s dashboard within ProposalCentral. 

A:  Community and Institutional Co-Directors will be a key component of each Partner Hub. Each Co-Director will facilitate activities within his/her/their organization and work closely with the CERC and other Co-Directors to facilitate activities across the Network, including end-of-network deliverables.  The Co-Director will be required to include details on the Co-Director’s Hub within the Partner Hub application.

A: The Community Engagement Resource Center (CERC) will, under leadership of the Director, incorporate a multidisciplinary approach to provide capacity building, training, evaluation, and the management of a Community of Practice for the full Network. The Center will develop training resources and career development opportunities while working closely with Partner Hub Directors, Project PIs, Trainees, and other project staff to optimize their success.
 
It will be expected for the CERC to include five ‘cores’ including: administrative, evaluation/outcomes, statistics/methods, training/capacity building, and communications. For each ‘core,’ an expert should be named from the CERC team who has experience in this area. It is also permissible to subcontract with another organization to provide this expertise. All work must be done in an equity first, community guided way that centers the community in the work and supports the collaborative efforts of academic and community partners.

The CERC proposal must be submitted by a non-profit research or policy organization that can demonstrate past success in facilitating community-driven research. Inclusion of a partnering organization (academic or non-academic) that has a strong engagement history with one or more underserved communities and with which the submitting organization has an established relationship is appropriate.  

In addition to facilitating the overall activities of the HERN, the CERC will compile and make available to the broader scientific community and other stakeholder key findings, recommendations, and resources from the network, thus leveraging the evidence-based approaches that will have been developed.

A: AHA anticipates awarding one (1) Community Engagement Resource Center as part of this Network.

A: The maximum budget amount for the Community Engagement Resource Center is $3,500,000.

 A: Yes, there is not a current restriction, but AHA will review for overlaps. An individual may only be a Director and/or Coordinating Center PI of one active SFRN or HERN award.

A:  An institution may submit only one Partner Hub (and related Projects) proposal or one Community Engagement Resource Center proposal. Individuals at the applicant institution who are not participating in their institution’s Hub and project(s) proposal may participate in a separate institution’s Hub submission. Individuals other than the Hub Director who are participating in their institution’s Hub proposal, may participate in a separate institution’s center proposal. The proposal may include individuals and/or projects at more than one institution provided there is evidence supporting the likelihood of a successful interaction among research and training personnel. The Community Engagement Resource Center applicant cannot have overlapping key personnel with any HUB (or related projects) submission.

A:  This information is not disclosed but we can share that we have received 10-31 applications from previous networks.

A:  Yes, but the Project PI will need to be housed at either the Partner Hub’s institution/organization or an institution/organization within the U.S.

A:  AHA does not regulate subcontracts; AHA’s only requirement is that the 10% indirect between institutions, or the subcontracted institution.  Once all parties have agreed to the subcontract, a signed copy should be forwarded to the AHA for reference.

Partner Hubs 
A:  Review of the applications will be conducted by the AHA and will occur in two phases. For Phase I, a peer review committee of volunteer scientists and lay stakeholders will be assembled to review all the submitted applications.  Projects/Science from the Research Partner Hubs will be reviewed and scored during Phase 1. Partner Hub submissions that advance past Phase 1 will undergo separate Phase 2 reviews. The Partner Hub Phase 2 review will focus on the overall vision of the Hub, synergy and collaborative possibilities within a Network.

Community Engagement Resource Center 
A:  Peer Review for the Community-Driven Research Approaches HERN will be a two-phase process. Community Engagement Resource Center submissions that advance past Phase 1 will undergo separate Phase 2 reviews.

A. The second phase of peer review (Phase II) will be conducted with only the highest-ranked candidates. The Directors of both the Partner Hub and Community Engagement Resource Center including their key personnel will have approximately 3-4 weeks to prepare for their Phase 2 presentation.  Note: Each invited Director(s) and key personnel will be expected to attend virtually.

Presentations for the Partner Hub Phase 2 should focus on the review criteria: Synergy, Collaboration, Training Component, Partner Hub Co-Director, Investigator Team and Diversity of Research Team.  

Phase 2 review of the Community Engagement Resource Center will focus on documented experience around equity-focused community research, capacity building, and proven ability to assess effectiveness of community research and/or policies, as well as proven training record and effectiveness.