Community Research Councils is an important new development that appreciates the primacy of more local needs and resources when it comes to funding and the implementation of grants. The question is who should be called to the table, how, and what are some of the best ways to develop buy-in? Of course you want to find creative thinkers, with background knowledge on the topic, who are going to be engaged in the effort. Such people are not always easy to find, but they exist in every region of the world. And sometimes you can't easily find the right people on the first round. But you can maximize your probability of getting the right group by contacting different agencies in the area and finding out who they respect most. You can contact the heads of counties, cities, and towns in the area. Definitely cold calls are good. And definitely networking is good. Contact institutions colleges and universities in the area and see if they have researchers or academics who specialize in health disparities or related areas. Contact hospitals. You might want to try to get a diversity of researchers, practitioners, and community members who tend to do more of their work "on the ground" and "in the community." Buy-in is often achieved by having your priorities in the right place--the benefit of those who are most adversely impacted by health disparities. Buy-in and investment is also built by giving each members of the Council their own specific roles on the group, the areas on which they are experts. And the more they are called on to provide their expertise, the more they are likely to feel they are contributing to the process. The more they are contributing and the more you can give them tangible signs that our council is having a positive impact, the more they will be invested in the Council for the long term.
