Democratizing Research Monies for Nonprofits and Advancing Equitable Research

Presenters: Dr. Faith R. Kares, Patrizia Santos

This workshop interrogates how the predominant Institutional Review Board (IRB), an important entity overseeing human subjects protections in research, privileges the university. In so doing, it reinforces inequities in terms of who gets to apply for federal funding and who gets to contribute to knowledge production. Philanthropic agencies are also increasingly requiring the IRB approval of any research project proposed. In this way, nonprofits must run their research grants through the university in order to access the IRB and apply for major grants. They are not able, then, to conduct research on their own; the current model ties them to the university, which carries with it bureaucratic systems and faculty research interests that may run counter to the nonprofit seeking the funding. This workshop highlights a new model, where the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) nonprofit organization Beloved Community has developed its own IRB in order to advance more equitable research practices. Presenters will unpack with workshop attendees the inequities tied to an IRB model that centers the university, and present an alternative. In presenting an alternative model, the presenters will offer concrete steps for organizations seeking to create their own IRB, and for faculty and graduate students supporting nonprofit partners in developing research autonomy.

Register

If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at diversity@pitt.edu by July 21

This workshop is a part of the 2021 Diversity Forum.