title: Research to reality:  a process evaluation of a mini-grants program to disseminate evidence-based nutrition programs to rural churches and worksites.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a project that used mini-grants plus technical assistance to disseminate evidence-based programs, to understand how the project worked in different settings, and to generate recommendations for future programming and evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Process evaluation using program records, activity forms completed by grantees, interviews, and focus groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Churches and worksites in rural, southwest Georgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Site coordinators (n = 10), organizational leaders (n = 7), and project committee members (n = 25) involved in program implementation at 7 funded organizations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Emory Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network solicited applications from churches and worksites to implement one of 2 evidence-based nutrition programs: Body & Soul for churches and Treatwell 5-a-Day for worksites. Successful applicants (n = 7) received funding and technical assistance from Emory and agreed to conduct all required elements of the evidence-based program.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed adoption, reach, implementation, and maintenance of specific programs and their core elements, as well as contextual influences and the resources required to implement the mini-grants program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of the 7 funded organizations conducted all programmatic core elements; all 7 sites conducted at least 6 of 8 core elements, including at least 1 food-related policy or environmental change as a result of the program. Program reach varied widely across sites and core elements. All site coordinators stated that they intend to continue at least some of the activities conducted under the project. Sites reported that contextual factors such as the program's fit with the organization's mission, leadership support, and leadership or staffing transitions influenced program implementation. Over 18 months, Emory staff spent 47.7 hours providing technical assistance to grantees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A mini-grants and technical assistance model has the potential to be an effective mechanism for disseminating evidence-based programs to community organizations, and further study of this method is warranted.
authors: Emory Prevention Research Center, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. shoneyc@emory.edu
authors: Sally
authors: S
authors: Honeycutt
authors: Michelle
authors: M
authors: Carvalho
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Glanz
authors: Sandra D
authors: SD
authors: Daniel
authors: Michelle C
authors: MC
authors: Kegler
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D002977:Clergy; D019058:Community Networks; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005845:Georgia; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data