Institutions of higher education, government and non-profit funding agencies, and the public increasingly demand active community engagement in academic research activities. What are the challenges that stifle—and strategies that enable—meaningful and long-lasting research engagements yet also comply with the realities of university budgets and established scientific practices? We draw on insights from the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) and the creation of the Community Collaborative Research Center (CCRC) to answer these questions. Established in 2022, the CCRC pairs interdisciplinary researchers from CU Denver with community partners seeking to ameliorate the most pressing impacts of climate change. We reflect on our experiences trying to navigate the research, financial and ethical priorities of both university administration and community members.