Plan for the future
Frontline community concerns, priorities, and strategies shift over time. While this can complicate technical and research timelines, the ability to pivot and be responsive to emerging scenarios is important when working on environmental issues. Researchers' ability to commit to long-term engagements may shift: students and early-career researchers often move between institutions or positions as their careers progress or pivot; funding may or may not accompany or accommodate these transitions, which can create challenges for project continuity.
Solutions
1.
Plan for the long term
Regularly revisit and revise long-term goals with all stakeholders.
2.
Build In Cycles of Reflection
Allocate dedicated time in project timelines for shared reflection and recalibration. This helps teams continuously adjust their work to remain aligned with community goals and evolving environmental conditions.
3.
Document for Continuity
Prioritize open, accessible documentation and interoperable tools. This ensures that new contributors can build on past work without needing to start from scratch.
4.
Advocate for collaborative data and publication policies
Where possible, researchers can advocate for data and publication policies that support responsible and reciprocal collaboration with communities. Seek advice from your institution's legal offices or libraries to understand what policies apply, where there's room for change, or where duly justified exceptions can be made. Identify and consult with allies, and prepare arguments to make with your institution's relevant offices. Depending on the extent of the collaboration, consider co-authorship on research outputs.
5.
Consider new structures of collaboration
Look for partners that complement your team's work and consider obtaining more power and combining resources through a merger.
6.
Establish shared leadership
Structure projects with multiple co-leaders (e.g., Co-PIs) from both academic institutions and community organizations. This leadership model should be equitable, ensuring that decision-making power, resources, and credit are shared rather than concentrated into one academic institution.
Know of another resource or solution?
Resources
Three Horizons Foresight Method
Three Horizons Foresight Method explains the Three Horizons framework, a foresight tool for exploring and managing transitions toward sustainable futures. It guides users through identifying current challenges, envisioning long-term goals, and mapping pathways for change.
Scenario Planning
Scenario Planning offers guidance on using scenario-based approaches to build climate resilience and inform adaptation strategies. It includes step-by-step instructions, case studies, and tools for engaging stakeholders in envisioning future climate scenarios.
Co-design as a service: Methodological guide
Co-design as a service: Methodological guide includes an introduction to the world of co-design, where the main definitions and mindsets of co-design and design thinking are given, as well as some tools to start applying the creative methodologies within them.
Stanford Social Innovation Review
The Stanford Social Innovation Review outlines how mergers and acquisitions can be a powerful strategy for nonprofit organizations to grow their impact.
Technology Transfer Offices within universities
Consider working with Technology Transfer Offices within universities on strategies to develop training materials and activities, foster connections, and identify community champions at universities.
CURIOSS
CURIOSS is a community for people who run Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) at universities and research institutions. They create spaces for collaboration, developing shared tools and information, in addition to promoting the importance of open source software in the academic world.
The Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research (Meetings)
The Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research (CLEAR) has prepared guidance on how to run equitable lab meetings. While this guide was written with academic labs in mind, the resources it points to, such as those related to consensus-based decision making, can be adapted for community collaborations centered on equity, humility, and good relations.