Piloting interventions within a community-based participatory research framework: lessons learned from the healthy environments partnership.
BACKGROUND
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships experience unique opportunities and dilemmas when implementing pilot interventions.


OBJECTIVE
We describe challenges and opportunities associated with conducting a pilot intervention within a longstanding CBPR partnership, lessons learned for use of a participatory process to pilot community interventions, and recommendations to funders on mechanisms for funding pilot interventions to help address these challenges.


METHODS
We conducted key informant interviews and convened a group discussion with host organization leaders and project personnel.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings highlight the opportunities and challenges related to needs and desires of community constituents and the ability of pilot interventions to meet those needs, and the importance of ongoing communication to address anticipated and unanticipated challenges that arise in the context of short-term pilot interventions in community settings.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest several funding mechanisms for supporting the implementation of larger scale interventions following promising pilot efforts in community settings.
Strong
Larkin L
LL
Department of Epidemiology, University of Texas M.D Anderson Cancer Center, TX, USA.
Israel
Barbara A
BA
Schulz
Amy J
AJ
Reyes
Angela
A
Rowe
Zachary
Z
Weir
Sheryl S
SS
Poe
Cecil
C
D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040241:Social Marketing