Co-Designing the Role of a Community Health Research Champion: A Grounded Theory Assessment of University and Community Perspectives

The purpose of this article is to 1) characterize the role of a “community health research champion” (CHRC), 2) outline a hybrid CHRC position which conjoins communities and universities for research, and 3) compare university-based and community-based researchers’ ideated perceptions of this position. Using a participatory co-design process, we contribute to the literature on champions in three ways. First, we examine the qualities, preparation, and supports needed for CHRCs to operate within community contexts and university structures. Second, we share actionable recommendations for how project teams can add CHRCs to advance equal community-university research partnerships. Finally, we distinguish two perceptions of how to complementarily implement the role as a “bridge” or “extender,” reflecting the different values and expectations of community-participatory or community-engaged research.