Posted on August 21, 2026

A Shared Commitment

The Division of Research and Engagement believes that research and scholarship reach their fullest impact when they extend beyond campus, into meaningful, reciprocal partnerships with the communities, organizations, and industries UNCG serves. Community-engaged scholarship and economic development are not separate from academic excellence; they are an expression of it, translating research into tangible benefit for the region and beyond.

Faculty across every discipline have opportunities to contribute to this work, whether through community-engaged teaching and research, applied partnerships with regional employers, or scholarship that directly informs policy and practice in the communities it studies.

5 Principles for Strong Partnerships

Strategies for Doing This Work Well

  • Start with reciprocity, not transaction. The strongest partnerships are built on mutual benefit and shared goals, not a one-directional flow of expertise from campus to community. Take time to understand a partner’s own priorities before proposing a project.
  • Document engagement as scholarship. Community-engaged work counts. Keep clear records of partnership outcomes, community impact, and your role; this documentation strengthens promotion and tenure dossiers and future funding proposals alike.
  • Think regionally and economically, not just locally. Economic development partnerships, workforce initiatives, and industry collaborations are a legitimate and valuable form of engagement, particularly for disciplines that don’t traditionally think of themselves as community-facing.
  • Build partnerships that outlast a single grant or semester. The most impactful engagement work tends to be sustained over years, not confined to a single project cycle. Consider how a given partnership might grow or evolve over time.

Connect with others already doing this work. Cross-campus learning communities and peer conversations are often the fastest way to learn what works, and what to avoid, from colleagues with direct experience.

Resources to Support Your Work

  • Consultations and professional development workshops on community-engaged scholarship, including guidance for documenting this work in promotion and tenure materials
  • Grant programs supporting faculty, staff, and community partner teams building long-term collaborative capacity
  • Faculty learning communities focused on community engagement topics, open to faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community members
  • An annual speaker series featuring practitioner-scholars discussing how community-university partnerships advance institutional and regional goals
  • University-wide tracking of community and economic engagement activity, helping identify opportunities for connection and collaboration across campus

Faculty interested in learning more about available support and resources are encouraged to reach out to the Division of Research and Engagement.