A community partner is a partner of York University and part of the York University community. Community partners include partnerships beyond the University's geographic location. A community partner can be any partner from small-scale local entities, the public or private sector, large-scale local, national or transnational entities. These entities can include small businesses to large corporations, non-profit organizations, government and non-governmental organizations.

Community partners are key participants in providing a supportive relationship between the University's academic programs and the world at large. An example of these partnerships is community focused experiential education. These include offering practicum placement, engaged research opportunities, recruitment of students or graduates for internships, and co-ops or employment.

Community partners within the industry that partner with the University focus on economic and social impact through engaged research and experiential learning. For example, Innovation York's industry engagement unit assists with the development of these relationships by serving as a single point of contact for both groups.