Center for Community Engagement and Impact

Submitters are asked to indicate the focus and population of their partnership. Here we aim to understand the problems/challenges/topics that partnerships are working to address, and for whom.

Submitters are presented with a list of categories developed by VCU & VCUHS committees and Richmond community members. Categories are descriptive; thus, definitions are not provided.

Submitters are then asked to indicate which population their partnership focuses on. If no answer is provided, we assume the general population. Again, categories are descriptive; thus, definitions are not provided.

See Partnership Database PDF to review response categories.

Submitters are asked to indicate the service area or geographic reach of their partnership. In other words, what geographic area or areas are being targeted by their partnership? For example, does their partnership serve the East End of Richmond, all of Virginia, or have a nation-wide reach?

Geographic service areas are then listed in the following order, beginning from the immediate locale and expanding outward:

1. Richmond City, by neighborhoods
2. Richmond region, by counties in the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
3. Community Memorial Health Service Area
4. Virginia
5. Mid-Atlantic Region
6. National
7. International

Definitions:
See here for a map of Richmond City neighborhoods, as defined by DataShare Metro Richmond. Selected Counties and Cities listed are based on the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as defined by the US Census using 2017 delineation files. See Table below for remaining definitions.

Geographic Definitions excluding Richmond City neighborhoods and Richmond MSA

Select “X”	If this partnership serves any or all of the following areas:
“Community Memorial Hospital Service Area”	South Hill, Brunswick, Lunenburg and Mecklenburg, Southside Virginia, and parts of northern North Carolina
“Virginia”	Counties or cities in the commonwealth outside of the counties and cities already listed
“Mid-Atlantic Region”	Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, North Carolina, and West Virginia
“National”	US states and territories outside of Virginia
“International”	Countries outside of the US states and territories

Submitters are asked to indicate the activity or activities their partnership engages in. Activity types are based on the core functions of higher education and health systems, and represent the foundational ways that VCU & VCUHS engages with our community partners. These activities are: (1) teaching/service-learning, (2) internships/practica, (3) research/creative, (4) service/outreach, and (5) health-related service. Activities are considered community-engaged if they meet the definitions below.

Partnership Activity Definitions:

• “Teaching/Service-learning” activities connect students and faculty with community partners and address community-identified needs through mutually beneficial partnerships that also deepen students’ academic and civic learning. These activities engage students in community-based education activities in which they apply knowledge and skills learned through classroom curriculum (Furco, 2010). Examples include university approved Service-Learning courses, community-based clinical placement, field studies, professional practica, capstone courses, and courses that incorporate project based learning.
  
  
• “Internships/Practica” activities provide a benefit to the broader community and are considered "community-engaged" if the internship activities were designed to increase the quality of life for communities. For example, improving environmental conditions (e.g., monitoring water quality of James River) enhances quality of life, in addition to placements that involve human, health, and public services. Internships can be paid or unpaid.
  
  
• “Research” activities are considered community-engaged if they incorporate stakeholders in the design and conduct of the different phases of the research process. “Creative” activities are related to the research and also community-engaged. Example: A research team collaborates with the community partners in the design of research questions as well as the creation of dissemination tools.
  
  
• "Service/Outreach" are community-engaged when they provide a benefit to the broader community. "Service" refers to volunteer activities that directly benefit the community and they do not involve teaching or research. Examples include volunteering one's expertise, time, labor, and resources to communities (e.g., volunteering at a food bank). "Outreach" refers to activities that entail the application and provision of institutional resources, knowledge, or services that enhance the quality of life for the community. Examples of outreach activities include: music concerts, athletic events, and health fairs.
  
  
• “Health-related Service” activities provide services to populations and communities to better improve human health and responds to a community needs. These partnerships improve access to health care services, enhance the health of the community, and/or advances medical or health knowledge of communities or populations. Examples include activities that involve patient screening, counseling, and education.