Table 3 Key matters for community organisations (COs) to consider or ask when deciding to engage with researchers

Partner features

Sensitive to community problems

Service minded; aims to benefit community

Helps community grow (e.g. empowers, builds capacity)

Embedded in community

Project features

Addresses a community/organisational need or priority

Benefits the community (e.g. improving health, empowerment)

Aligns with CO mission

Involves CO and community in its conduct

Key requests

Project scope includes community needs and priorities

Preferred level of CO participation (e.g. leadership of data collection and analysis)

Budget transparency and control (of CO portion at a minimum)

Project data used after collected and analysed (e.g. for advocacy, to design interventions that are then implemented)

Data access and ownership

Long-term projects and sustained partnership

Partnership characterised by joint decision-making

Capacity development