CAB Toolkit: Establishment
Is there a structure at your institution or an existing network with which you can partner to achieve your goals? If not, and you decide to create a CAB, you should first decide the purpose or focus of your CAB.
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Developing a CAB for a project
Intervention project​
If you’re developing a CAB for an intervention project, the CAB can consult on intervention development and implementation, be involved in shaping a part of the intervention, collaborate on intervention development, or share leadership in developing, implementing, and evaluating the intervention.
Activities will depend on the project’s needs and the level of community engagement appropriate for the project. See Mitchell et al. (2022) for guidance on levels of community engagement.
For project CAB’s, you will need an information sheet detailing the study and the responsibilities. This will need to be approved by your institution’s IRB.
Developing a CAB for a specific topic or research purpose
If your CAB focuses on a specific topic or research purpose, you need to decide what purpose the CAB will serve.
Will one organization or project use the CAB’s services?
Will other groups have the opportunity to consult with the CAB?
How will the CAB be involved?
You will need to provide your members with an information sheet or contract to inform them of the expectations and duties of participating on the CAB. Unlike CABs for a specific intervention project, you probably will not need to obtain IRB approval. If this group is intended to be a standing group with shared leadership, a MOU (memorandum of understanding) may be more appropriate.
Sample Studies
Developing a CAB for a specific community or population
If you are developing a CAB for a specific population, you must decide what the purpose of engaging this community is and what the goals of the CAB will be. Will you focus on a specific topic of interest to the population?
You will need to provide your members with an information sheet or contract to inform them of the expectations and duties of participating on the CAB. Unlike CABs for a specific intervention project, it’s not likely you’ll need to obtain IRB approval. If this group is intended to be an ongoing group with shared leadership, a MOU (memorandum of understanding) may be more appropriate.
Sample Studies
Developing a CAB for a specific setting
If you are developing a CAB for a specific setting (e.g. clinic, school, community group), you must decide what is the purpose of engaging this the community and how the setting will utilize the CAB. Refer to community engagement continuum for guidance if needed.
Will the CAB consult with the setting?
Will there be shared leadership?
You will need to provide your members with an information sheet or contract to inform them of the expectations and duties of participating in the CAB. Unlike CABs for a specific intervention project, you probably will need to obtain IRB approval. If this group is intended to be an ongoing group with shared leadership, a MOU (memorandum of understanding) may be more appropriate.
Sample Studies
Developing a CAB to operate as consultants
If your CAB are going to consult, you must specify who will consult the CAB and on which issues.
Will it only be with identified organizations or will others be able to set up consultation?
Will there be consultation fees?
How will these fees be used?
You will need to provide your members with an information sheet or contract to inform them of the expectations and duties of participating on the CAB. Unlike CABs for a specific intervention project, you probably will not need to obtain IRB approval. If this group is intended to be an ongoing group with shared leadership, a charter or MOU (memorandum of understanding) may be more appropriate.
Who will be in your CAB?
Your purpose will inform who you will recruit for your CAB. For example, if the purpose of your CAB is to co-develop an intervention for type-2 diabetes management, recruitment may focus on people living with type-2 diabetes.
The number, demographic makeup, and lived experience of members needed will depend on the purpose and intended function of the CAB. Your budget, time, and setting constraints will also influence the size of your CAB. For example, if you need to meet in person, potential members’ location and transportation needs will be important to consider.
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If you are starting in a new community group or setting, it takes time to build genuine connections. Building genuine connections within the community allows for greater trust in the CAB process and more meaningful engagement. Consider this when setting expectations, as well as while creating your timeline and budget.
Depending on the project, purpose, and goals, you can recruit members with different backgrounds and experiences.
This can be done in two ways:
Recruiting multiple boards
(e.g., board of youth/patients, board of parents, board of community members) ​
Recruiting board members from different groups
(e.g., some members are patients, some are parents, some are community members) ​
What are the responsibilities and functions of the CAB?
Responsibilities and functions depend on the purpose and the needs of the community and the researchers. These responsibilities and functions must be explicit and outlined as soon as possible in CAB development.
Use this template to help you decide the functions of your CAB
Potential responsibilities
*Feedback examples
Most common responsibilities for CABs in CTSAs
Most common ways CABs are used in CTSAs in research involvement
Research consultants
CE studio or review board experts
Grant reviewers
Conference presenters
Recruitment
Understanding why people are motivated to join and interested in joining CABs will help you present the CAB in a mutually beneficial way.
In a 2024 study, people were motivated by family/friend/personal diagnosis, roles as caregivers, desire to impact change and advocacy, role as health professional, and previous participation in research. People were interested in the CAB because of their diagnosis, desire to share their experience, personal positionality, previous research experience, and contributing to the education of students/trainees.
Who will be on the CAB
Research teams should be clear on who is ‘eligible’ to be a part of a particular CAB.
Sample Studies
Identify gaps that the unique perspectives/lived experiences of potential CAB members may fill – groups with tailored and complementary skillsets are most successful.
How to recruit
Recruitment can be done by identifying and enlisting champions (e.g., using physicians to identify patients who would be a good fit for the board / project), using existing community connections (e.g., having community leaders identify people who would be a good fit), and tailoring communications to your community (e.g., using technology to reach young people, going to community events aligned with your purpose).
Is there a standing CAB already operating within your institution?
Who runs this CAB, and can this resource be leveraged?
Targeted Recruitment
Targeted recruitment can mean shared values/mission, more tailored skills
Broad/Open Recruitment
Open recruitment can bring in unique points of view, higher motivation, and a more democratic process
The process of recruitment is iterative, and can involve current CAB members deciding to recruit more people.
Example recruitment email
Prior to recruitment, meet with potential participants to ensure they understand the expectations of themselves (CAB members) and the researchers, communication plan, compensation, and how feedback will be incorporated.
You can communicate this in a meeting and/or formal commitment letter.
Budgeting
Incorporating a CAB into your grant
Budgeting for the investment of including a CAB should occur as early as possible in the grant planning process. There are many best practices related to compensating community partners, which are impacted by factors including, but not limited to, the extent and role of participation in grant-related research activities, training and equipment, meeting supplies, and barrier mitigation (i.e. transportation, childcare, location, etc.).
Honorarium
Compensating CAB members for their time and expertise is standard practice. Your budget will help determine the amount of the honoraria, but $25/hour is considered standard practice. Depending on the needs of your community, you may need to budget for childcare, food, transportation, and infrastructure for hybrid meetings. Your budgeting should reflect steps to address common barriers for your members.
Your institution may have rules and standards around how to provide renumeration. For example, you may need to provide the payment through ClinCards, and you may need to collect tax information or have participants complete W9 forms. It is recommended to use secure survey platforms to collect this information and to have these ready before you start recruitment. It is also recommended information about requirements (e.g., providing a tax identification number) be shared upfront. Some community partners may prefer an alternative form of compensation (e.g., payment to/through organization, donation to a charity, vendor check) that does not require sharing personal information. See Carter Edwards et al. (2021) for more information about institutional barriers.