Community Outreach Toolkit
Presentation Guidelines
Templates, guidelines, and best practices for respectful outreach to Indigenous communities and cultural preservation offices.
Preparation Guidelines
Best practices for presenting research proposals to Indigenous communities, focusing on respect, transparency, and community benefit.
Preparation Essentials
- Research the community’s current priorities and initiatives
- Prepare materials in plain language, avoiding academic jargon
- Create clear visual aids that respect cultural sensitivities
- Prepare to discuss community benefits, not just research outcomes
- Have specific examples of how community knowledge will be protected
Presentation Structure
- Begin with respectful acknowledgment of the land and community
- Introduce yourself, your background, and institutional affiliation
- Clearly state your research purpose and questions
- Explain potential benefits to the community
- Address data ownership and access protocols upfront
- Allow ample time for questions and discussion
Key Topics to Address
- How community members will be involved in all research phases
- Community control over data and cultural materials
- Plans for sharing results with the community first
- Long-term relationship and collaboration goals
- Respect for cultural protocols and restricted knowledge
What to Avoid
- Making promises you cannot keep
- Rushing the presentation or decision-making process
- Assuming consent or enthusiasm
- Using extractive language (“collecting,” “harvesting” data)
- Focusing solely on academic or institutional benefits
Related Resources
Additional tools and frameworks to support ethical community engagement.
Process Map
Directory
Four Rs Framework