Although the Belmont Report and associated federal regulations were written to protect individual research participants from undue risk and harm, Community-Based Participatory Research teams are concerned about insufficient protection of ethical concerns on a community level. This multi-case study examines the process institutional actors at two community-engaged universities with very high research activity use to understand and respond to community-level ethics. It also examines specific changes that are made to IRB process as a result of this understanding. This study utilizes a conceptual framework based on sensemaking theory to explore these concerns. The key themes that emerged from this study include how environmental cues are a catalyst for IRB sensemaking, how sensemaking forums promote IRB reforms, the ways leaders are gatekeepers or facilitators of sensemaking, the critical role of CBPR experts, and the extent of community-based protections offered through IRB Offices. The final theme is that CPBR ethics ultimately remains in the hands of faculty and staff. These key understandings provide a basis for new insights for theory, practice, and research in an area that has previously received little attention in the field of higher education research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]