The Action Cycle for Advancing Community Engagement
Community engagement requires intentional tools and structures to be sustained at a university level. The Action Cycle provides a shared process for applying the Carnegie Community Engagement Framework across KU.
The sections that follow show how students, administrators, faculty, and staff can use the action cycle framework to build partnerships for impact.
Action Cycle Steps
- Engage: Foster meaningful partnerships through inclusive participation and shared decision-making that shapes every phase of the action cycle Select to follow link
- Assess: Understand gaps, needs, and assets to ensure engagement responds to what matters most to communities Select to follow link
- Plan: Identify vision, mission, and action plans grounded in lived experience and community-defined priorities Select to follow link
- Act: Implement strategies and action plans to address community priorities in culturally appropriate ways Select to follow link
- Evaluate: Monitor progress and outcomes to support accountability, learning, and continuous improvement over time Select to follow link
- Sustain: Embed effective practices into institutional structures and secure resources to maintain the initiative Select to follow link
- Communicate and Celebrate: Share accomplishments, recognize champions, and maintain momentum through regular stakeholder communication Select to follow link
- Reflection: Examine experiences to deepen learning, strengthen partnerships, and inform more meaningful future action Select to follow link