ABSTRACT Our overall goal will be to pilot the development of an Innovative Development of Research Engagement Manual (I-DREM) that maps out sustainable solutions that would benefit the recruitment of Black individuals into substance use disorder (SUD) clinical trials and move the meter towards the goal of making diversity in clinical trials a standard part of the SUD clinical research model. Aim 1: To develop a protocol to increase recruitment and retention of Black participants into SUD trials that maps out concrete steps to aid researchers, from planning stages all the way through trial implementation. Aim 2: To develop training modules for research teams to enhance cultural competency and facilitate recruitment and retention of Black individuals into SUD clinical trials.