Community Outreach & Engagement

The Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) team’s mission is to reduce the burden of cancer in Minnesota by engaging communities and providing them access to knowledge and information about cancer prevention, treatment, survivorship, and clinical research opportunities. 

Connection to community partners 

Consulting on best practices to community engagement

For volunteer opportunity to connect with community, click here

For community, patients and events, go to https://cancer.umn.edu/coe or contact ccinfo@umn.edu

The Community Outreach and Education department at The Hormel Institute works to identify community needs, expand education outreach and internships, and better connect the community to The Hormel Institute and The Hormel Institute to the community. 

For more information, go to https://www.hi.umn.edu/community/ or contact Kelly Vincelette, Community Outreach and Education Manager, kelly521@umn.edu.

The Minnesota Cancer Clinical Trials Network (MNCCTN) aims to improve cancer outcomes for all Minnesotans through greater access to cancer clinical trials in prevention and treatment. 

For partnerships, clinical trials or information for researchers and grant programs, go to https://translational-medicine.umn.edu/ or contact mncctn@umn.edu

The NACC of the Twin Cities aims to promote the health & wellness of mind, body, and spirit of Native American families. A full range of healthcare services include Medical, Behavioral Health, Dental, and Substance Abuse programs. 

NACC approaches healthcare by addressing root causes of health disparities including access to food, housing and health insurance with services such as resource navigation, care coordination, outreach and community-based activities through the use of our peer recovery coaches and community health workers. 

For more information, please go to https://nacc-healthcare.org/ or for general inquiries call (612) 872-8086.

Through the Health Equity in Policy Initiative, Program in Health Disparities Research seeks to bridge the information gaps, which exist between underserved communities, researchers, and decision makers through policy initiatives that promote the health and safety priorities of its community partners. 

To get involved or for more information, go to https://med.umn.edu/healthdisparities or contact phdr@umn.edu.

Educational and Funding Opportunities 

University of Minnesota M-ASCEND

UMN M-ASCEND is a collaboration between the Program in Health Disparities Research and the Masonic Cancer Center.  This is a theoretically guided, evidence-driven program designed to support the academic persistence of high school and undergraduate students underrepresented in science, and promote their developmental progress towards future careers in cancer research.

For more details on the M-ASCND program, please go to M-ASCEND: Advancing Science, Enhancing Diversity Program | Medical School (umn.edu) or contact m-ascend@umn.edu.

T32 Cancer Disparities Training Program

The T32 Cancer Disparities Training Program seeks to train researchers who are prepared to conduct community-engaged research to develop, test, and disseminate interventions in both clinical and community settings to reduce cancer-related health disparities among communities most impacted by inequities.  

For more information on the training program go to T32 Cancer Disparities Training Program | Medical School (umn.edu) or contact Rodolfo Batres at T32CHD@umn.edu.