Civic Engagement
Sidebar
The Center’s Civic Engagement work explores how individuals and communities participate in decision-making, leadership and collective action to promote social well-being. Research and evaluation projects assess strategies that build community capacity, elevate lived experience and strengthen trust between institutions and communities. Through partnerships across sectors, the Center supports efforts that foster inclusive participation and sustainable community-driven change.
Civic Engagement Projects
Studying factors associated with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) faculty turnover and retention at UofL
This mixed‑methods study explored barriers and facilitators to the recruitment and retention of BIPOC faculty at the University of Louisville through an online survey of approximately 100 current and former BIPOC faculty and follow‑up interviews with a subset who have departed. Overall, the study examined organizational culture and climate, academic workload and individual factors related to faculty retention and turnover.
Conducting a comprehensive needs assessment to identify needs and gaps for Legal Aid to address
The mission of the Legal Aid Society is to pursue justice for people in poverty. They provide free legal services to the most disadvantaged in our community. They fight for community members when their health, safety and stability are unjustly threatened. Legal Aid partnered with the CFCWB to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment which includes focus groups and interviews, survey of existing/former clients and a community outreach survey in order to identify needs and gaps in services that the organization may address.
Completing a study on organizational trust through a partnership with University of Louisville administration
The CFCWB has a long history of research on issues of organizational culture and climate, including issues of trust and the impact on organizational functioning and employee well-being and retention. This study utilized a mixed methods design, which included a survey administered to all employees and approximately 125 focus groups across the University. Data from both components of this research are being reported by unit. A comprehensive university wide report will be disseminated after unit reports are out.
Evaluating anti-racism psychoeducation groups for faculty, staff and students at UofL
This project evaluated the effectiveness of three-session anti‑racism psychoeducation groups for approximately 200 University of Louisville students, staff and faculty. CFCWB examined changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors overall and across group composition (homogeneous vs. heterogeneous) and participant roles.
Evaluating the University of Louisville’s Advanced Manufacturing Center's programming for effectiveness
CFCWB partnered with the Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Center to evaluate the program’s effectiveness in building innovation capacity, facilitating business referrals to advanced manufacturing services and supporting job creation outcomes among participating Kentucky manufacturing businesses.