Get Involved – For Researchers

Submit Your Research Proposal

Have a research project you are working on? Share it with us! Click below to tell us more about it and connect with our Community Research Review Board.

The Promise Zone Research Connection (PZRC) and the Community Research Review Board (CRRB) offer a unique opportunity for researchers to engage meaningfully with the West Philadelphia Promise Zone community. We are dedicated to fostering ethical, community-driven research that not only advances academic and institutional goals but also provides tangible benefits to the residents of the Promise Zone.

Why Partner with the PZRC?

Research conducted in historically underserved communities can often overlook the voices of those most affected. The PZRC was created to bridge this gap, ensuring that research is conducted in a way that respects the community’s rights, reflects its priorities, and results in positive outcomes for its residents.

By partnering with the PZRC, you ensure that:

Your Research is Community-Centered: Collaborating with the CRRB helps you align your research with the needs and concerns of the community. This not only strengthens your research but also builds trust and cooperation with the people living in the Promise Zone.
Ethical Standards are Met: The CRRB works with researchers to review proposals, ensuring that studies are ethical, transparent, and considerate of the community’s well-being.
Impact and Accountability: By involving the community at every stage of your research, from design to implementation and dissemination, you are more likely to achieve meaningful results that positively impact residents’ quality of life.

How You Can Get Involved

We encourage researchers to actively engage with the community through the PZRC and CRRB. Here’s how you can collaborate with us:

Submit Your Research for Review by the CRRB
The Community Research Review Board (CRRB) is composed of trained residents and stakeholders who will review your research proposal to ensure it aligns with the community’s interests and ethical standards. Working with the CRRB ensures that your study benefits from local insights, cultural context, and community priorities. This review process can help you design research that is ethical, inclusive, and impactful.
Collaborate with Community Experts
Engaging local community members throughout your research process can lead to better data collection, enhanced trust, and more meaningful outcomes. The CRRB offers support by connecting you with residents who can partner with you during various stages of your research, including data collection, interpretation of findings, and community dissemination.
Address Research Fatigue
West Philadelphia residents have voiced concerns about being over-researched without seeing tangible benefits from studies. The PZRC helps researchers avoid this by ensuring that your project brings value to the community and that research results are communicated back to residents in a meaningful way. Partnering with the CRRB shows your commitment to conducting research that matters to the community.
Obtain Letters of Support for Funding Proposals
Research studies that are reviewed and approved by the CRRB demonstrate a commitment to community engagement and ethical standards. The CRRB may provide letters of support for researchers seeking grant funding, lending credibility to your proposal by showing that your work is aligned with the interests of the community.

If you are interested in collaborating with the Promise Zone Research Connection to improve the quality and equity of your research, please complete our survey here.

The Role of the CRRB in Your Research

The CRRB is designed to act as a bridge between researchers and the community. Through regular meetings, the CRRB provides feedback on research proposals, ensures community input is reflected in the study design, and helps researchers consider the cultural and ethical dimensions of their work. This process not only strengthens your research but also builds stronger, more respectful relationships with the residents of the Promise Zone.

The PZRC Mission: Collaborating for Ethical, Impactful Research

The PZRC’s mission is to create partnerships between researchers and the community, advocating for research that protects, respects, and benefits the residents of the West Philadelphia Promise Zone. By working with the PZRC and CRRB, you can ensure that your research is aligned with community values, addresses local challenges, and produces outcomes that are both academically valuable and socially beneficial.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to collaborate with the PZRC or submit your research for review, please reach out to us at info@pzrc.org. We look forward to working with you to ensure that your research positively impacts the Promise Zone community.

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events at this time, but please check back soon for updates on research meetings and opportunities for collaboration.

For Researchers