Building Capacity for Climate Resilience Through Community-Academic Partnerships: Lessons from the CAPECA Project

Despite growing awareness of climate change’s disproportionate impact on historically marginalized communities, their voices remain underrepresented in research and planning. The Community-Academic Partnerships to Advance Equity-Focused Climate Action (CAPECA) project sought to bridge this gap by supporting equitable collaborations between community leaders and academic researchers. Grounded in participatory action research, popular education, and social equity frameworks, CAPECA supported 12 community-academic partnership (CAP) teams across California to develop and implement community-driven climate strategies. This descriptive case study draws on exit interviews, program archives, and team-generated materials to examine CAPECA’s 18-month training program. Findings show that CAPECA strengthened participants’ skills in inclusive facilitation, research design, and action planning. Teams applied participatory methods to co-produce knowledge, mobilize engagement, and center cultural and local priorities. Community-led strategies ranged from intergenerational learning and arts-based events to environmental monitoring and policy advocacy. CAPECA offers a replicable model for embedding equity and frontline leadership in climate resilience initiatives.