The University Of Kentucky Research Foundation was awarded a $603,001 Project Grant by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) under the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research program (CFDA 93.307). The UK ASCEND (Achieving Success in Community-Engaged Research to Eliminate Disparities) project aims to advance health equity by promoting community-engaged research (CER) success among early stage investigators from diverse backgrounds. The project will establish a comprehensive CER training program and pilot program, fostering bidirectional engagement with community stakeholders. The grant period runs from July 2024 to January 2029 and focuses on three key outcomes: early stage investigator CER career development, community engagement, and early stage investigator research success.