Community Advisory Boards (CAB) serve a vital role in research, projects, program development, policy initiatives, and more, but they should not be the only mechanism employed for community collaboration or for eliciting community input.
Exploring alternative pathways is key to establishing more meaningful and lasting connections. In addition to Best Practices for CAB development (see page 8), we are sharing other ways of engaging communities. These pathways facilitate inclusivity and dynamism, fostering innovation, addressing unique community needs, and creating authentic partnerships. Delving into the untapped potential of community-driven collaboration uncovers fresh avenues for positive change in research initiatives.
We would like to acknowledge the amazing and detailed work of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness & Housing Initiative’s Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) toolkit. We encourage you to check out the LEAB toolkit and refer to the supplemental information provided below to guide you in your CAB journey.
CAB Toolkit
This video introduces CTSI’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) toolkit, a comprehensive resource designed to support research teams in building, managing, and concluding a CAB. The video will help you navigate the toolkit which has resources to help with goal setting, recruitment, meeting facilitation, payment, and much more. The toolkit also includes ready-to-use templates, sample agendas, and evaluation tools. The CTSI Community Engagement team also offers free consultations to strengthen your community engagement work at any stage in the CAB process.
CTSI Community Engagement: Community Advisory Board Toolkit Full Document
The UCSF CTSI Community Advisory Board Toolkit provides guidance on establishing more meaningful and lasting connections with the community through the formation of Community Advisory Boards (CABs). This toolkit also provides essential tips on creating, maintaining, and closing a Community Advisory Board.
UCSF CTSI CAB Toolkit (BEFORE)
This is the "Before" Section of the UCSF CTSI CAB Toolkit. This section explains how to conduct outreach and recruitment for Community Advisory Boards (CABs).
UCSF CTSI CAB Toolkit (DURING)
This is the "During" Section of the CTSI CAB Toolkit. This section explains how to facilitate Community Advisory Board (CAB) Meetings.
UCSF CTSI CAB Toolkit (AFTER)
This is the "After" section of the CTSI CAB Toolkit. This section describes how to close a Community Advisory Board (CAB). This includes sample evaluation questions.
Other Resources to Support CABs
Featured Resource: UCSF Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) Toolkit
The Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) Toolkit offers guidance on forming and sustaining meaningful, authentic, and effective partnerships between organizations and people with lived experience. This toolkit is the result of a two-year partnership between UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative researchers and a group of 10 people with lived experience.
CTSI CAB Toolkit: Post-Meeting Community Advisory Board Feedback Survey Template
If you’re evaluating a single Community Advisory Board (CAB) meeting and not the overall experience, the goal is to capture immediate feedback on clarity, engagement, respect, and usefulness. You want questions that are quick, repeatable, and actionable. Here’s a set of sample questions you can give CAB members as a starting point!
CTSI CAB Toolkit: Recruitment Email Template
This document is provided as an example survey for research and project teams to use when recruiting potential Community Advisory Board (CAB) members. It is intended to serve as a template and reference.
UCSF Youth Research Advisory Council (YRAC)
The Youth Research Advisory Council (YRAC) is a group of young people who come together in partnership with the YMCA to advise UCSF researchers about our health needs and the needs of our communities.
CTSI CAB Toolkit: End-of-CAB Experience Survey Template
This survey is provided as an example to help teams reflect on Community Advisory Board (CAB) members’ overall experiences at the end of your CAB. It is intended as a reference, and you are encouraged to adapt the questions to fit your goals.
CTSI CAB Toolkit: Template for Recruiting, Surveying, or Polling Potential Community Advisory Board Members
This document is provided as an example of a survey that research and project teams can use when recruiting potential Community Advisory Board (CAB) members. It is intended to serve as a template and reference, demonstrating the types of questions and structure that may be helpful when gathering information from prospective participants.
CTSI CAB Toolkit: Invoice Template
This document provides a sample invoice template for UCSF researchers to use when compensating Community Advisory Board (CAB) members.
Featured Resource: AAMC's Principles of Trustworthiness
The Principles of Trustworthiness Toolkit is designed to help institutions earn their community's trust by demonstrating they are worthy of it. Published by the AAMC Center for Health Justice, the toolkit offers a structured, yet flexible approach to building genuine partnerships rooted in humility, accountability, and long-term commitment.
Este video es un ejemplo de investigadores que trabajan con la comunidad para abogar por cambios de polices.
This video is an example of researchers working with the community to advocate for policy change. The HERE with Community project explored barriers between research institutions, community health centers, and, by extension, their patient populations in the Central Valley.
Linguistica Interpreting and Translation, LLC, is a translation firm based in California that offers a range of interpretation and translation services. They are a registered vendor in BearBuy, but are not endorsed by CTSI or UCSF.
The Language Bank offers comprehensive language interpretation and translation services for UCSF research and clinical services. They are registered as a vendor in BearBuy and have been utilized by many research project teams and by CTSI. Click on the link to view their rate sheet.
In 2025, the CTSI Research Action Group for Equity (RAGE) partnered with the UCSF Institutional Review Board (IRB) to solicit community feedback on the Informed Consent Form (ICF) Template.
This document provides a sample invoice template for UCSF researchers to use when compensating Community Advisory Board (CAB) members.
This document is provided as an example of a survey that research and project teams can use when recruiting potential Community Advisory Board (CAB) members.
This document is provided as an example survey for research and project teams to use when recruiting potential Community Advisory Board (CAB) members. It is intended to serve as a template and reference.
If you’re evaluating a single Community Advisory Board (CAB) meeting and not the overall experience, the goal is to capture immediate feedback on clarity, engagement, respect, and usefulness. You want questions that are quick, repeatable, and actionable.
This survey is provided as an example to help teams reflect on Community Advisory Board (CAB) members’ overall experiences at the end of your CAB. It is intended as a reference, and you are encouraged to adapt the questions to fit your goals.
This is the "After" section of the CTSI CAB Toolkit. This section describes how to close a Community Advisory Board (CAB). This includes sample evaluation questions.
This is the "During" Section of the CTSI CAB Toolkit. This section explains how to facilitate Community Advisory Board (CAB) Meetings.