Help Design a Community Science Model: Become one of multiple partners helping CalEPA co-create a community science model
Dear Community Leaders,
The
California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) is inviting Community Based
Organizations (CBOs) from throughout California to co-create a community
science model to inform future CalEPA community research projects. The model is intended to be widely relevant to any
California community interested in community science work and youth engagement.
We are looking for CBOs interested and/or experienced in community science
(also known as community based participatory research or citizen
science) to share their expertise and advise CalEPA on a wide range of
practices to apply community science and environmental justice principles.
If
interested, CalEPA invites you to work collaboratively with us. We will be
contracting with a group of six to ten CBO leaders for their expertise over a
period of six to nine months starting in early 2023. CBO leaders will provide
approximately 10 hours of their time per month to attend one to three meetings
a month, provide comments and edits to a draft model, and guide CalEPA in
designing the public process to finalize the community science model. Some of
the skills and experiences we are looking for can include any of the following:
- Involvement with a Community Based Organization or Tribal community (must have a federal tax I.D. for the contracting process)
- Experience in community engagement, including youth engagement
- Leading or participating in community-engaged research
- Listening to and gathering information on diverse community research priorities
- Designing community science projects based on community input
- Building community capacity to collect and analyze data and to review, interpret and share research results
- Using community science data for community advocacy
- Engaging youth in community science projects
If interested, please fill out this questionnaire by Monday December 5, 2022.
Our funding
is limited and depending on the level of interest, we may not be able to work
with all interested parties. Our criteria for selecting the group of six to ten collaborators
includes capturing a wide geographic representation in different settings
(urban, suburban, rural communities, Tribal communities), having at least two
of the collaborators with experience engaging youth in community science, experience or expertise in
applying community science principles to environmental justice issues, and including a wide range of lived experiences. The
selected group will work with CalEPA and associated Boards, Departments and
Office, to set up a contract for the work to be performed in 2023.
By the week of December 19, we will notify all interested parties who fill out the questionnaire of our final decision.
Background
CalEPA is composed of six government agencies: the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), California Air Resources Board (CARB), California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR), Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). These agencies serve the public and work to protect public health and the environment for all Californians. Across CalEPA, programs are being transformed to embed racial equity and uplift community voices. Community engagement and open public processes are commonly leveraged by agencies to set priorities and drive program needs. However, business-as-usual models currently in practice should be updated to include greater collaboration with community stakeholders. These collaborations will make programs more effective and aligned with community priorities, while building trust with the communities CalEPA serves.One avenue for CalEPA to build relationships and better serve community priorities is through funding community science. Community science is a tool and opportunity for government agencies to initiate partnerships with communities. It uplifts community expertise and knowledge and builds relationships to take collective action by putting the capacity to set research priorities, develop projects, and collect and interpret data back in the hands of the community members.