A community-academic partnership is as unique as the community that creates it. The Center seeks to bring together diverse perspectives and expertise by creating a broad vision of community change between community and academic experts. Characteristics of a community partnership include:

• joint planning, and risk taking
• cooperative investment and allocation of resources
• shared authority and benefits
• collaborative implementation and evaluation
• sustainable community impact
• joint dissemination and publications.​​

Examples of Community Partners
CUPH has many community-academic partnerships. Examples of the many community partners include:

• AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin
• Black Health Coalition of WI Inc
• Boys and Girls Clubs
• Comprehensive Health Education, Inc.
• Core / El Centro
• The Council for the Spanish Speaking
• Cream City Medical Society
• House of Peace
• Komen for the Cure® Milwaukee Affiliate
• Milwaukee Well Women's Program
• The Healing Center
• Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
• Social Development Commission
• United Migrant Opportunity Services, Inc. (UMOS)