title: The data collection/data distribution center: building a sustainable African-American church-based research network.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article describes the Carolina-Shaw Partnership for the Elimination of Health Disparities efforts to engage a diverse group of Black churches in a sustainable network.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to develop a diverse network of 25 churches to work with the Carolina-Shaw Partnership to develop sustainable health disparities research, education, and intervention initiatives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Churches were selected based on location, pastoral buy-in, and capacity to engage. A purposive sampling technique was applied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) Collecting information on the location and characteristics of churches helps to identify and recruit churches that possess the desired qualities and characteristics. (2) The process used to identify, recruit, and select churches is time intensive. (3) The time, energy, and effort required managing an inter-institutional partnership and engage churches in health disparities research and interventions lends itself to sustainability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development of a sustainable network of churches could lead to successful health disparities initiatives.
authors.affiliation: Divinity School, Shaw University.
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldmon
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Roberson
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godley
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Carlton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ammerman
mesh_terms: D019058:Community Networks; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D016208:Databases, Factual; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009657:North Carolina; D018579:Patient Selection; D033303:Protestantism