AbstractBackgroundDisparities in brain health outcomes often involve African American individuals. To achieve the highest impact for health care initiatives; effectively engaging with African American communities is crucial. One method to reach African American communities is to effectively collaborate with churches. Churches are often seen as the cornerstone of African American communities and should be regarded as a key partner in health care research. Churches have opportunities to respond to the health needs of their respective congregation and communities. For this presentation, we will outline effective strategies for engaging African American churches in promoting behavior change to enhance health equity for health care research.MethodsStrategies include: a) Learning the history of the church, b) Selecting the best person to represent your organization, c) Having a clear ask, d) Engaging in honest conversations with leadership, e) Being persistent and engaging in church sponsored activities, and f) Offering a sustainability plan.ResultsThe implementation of these strategies requires planning, time, and commitment. For example, Alter (nurse‐led dementia‐friendly congregation program) has implemented these strategies over a 2‐year period and excelled in promoting brain health and reducing dementia stigma in African American communities.ConclusionHealth professionals and researchers can use these strategies within their practices and research to improve health and promote health equity for African American individuals and communities.