Communities are frequently studied without receiving information they can readily apply. At the same time, researchers may lack access to the local knowledge needed to understand how policies, systems, and climate impacts operate in practice. Community-engaged research helps close this gap. It can:
 

• Translate research into locally relevant findings and actions.
• Document knowledge that may not appear in conventional datasets.
• Help communities understand the underlying systems producing recurring challenges.
• Identify similarities and differences across communities and regions.
• Test new approaches in real-world settings.
• Create tools, reports, and recommendations that directly support community decisions.
• Build longer-term relationships among communities, practitioners, faculty, and students.