title: Capacity building through cross-sector partnerships: a multiple case study of a sport program in disadvantaged communities in Belgium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent research has illustrated the need for cross-sector partnerships to tackle multidimensional problems such as health inequalities and sport and physical activity promotion. Capacity building is based on partnerships and has demonstrated effectiveness in tackling these multidimensional problems. This study aims to explain how cross-sector partnerships build capacity at the practitioner, organisational and partnership levels. The subject of this study is a community sport program (CSP) that aims to increase sport participation rates and physical activity levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study examined multiple cases in four disadvantaged communities in Antwerp, Belgium where the CSP was implemented. Forty-four face-to-face interviews were held with leaders from sport, social, health, culture and youth organisations that collaborated with the CSP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen elements of cross-sector partnerships were identified as critical to building capacity at each of the different levels. These include: process evaluation, trust, mutuality, policy support, partner complementarity and fit, diversity of activities and period of collaboration-time. Trust in turn was fostered by a longer period of collaboration-time, better personal contact, clearer coordination and an external focus. Policy support was developed by support of partners and establishing clear metrics of success.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Insight into the key elements of cross-sector partnerships that build capacity is given and several practical recommendations are suggested for practitioners and policy makers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Mathieu.Marlier@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marlier
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Steffie.Lucidarme@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Steffie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lucidarme
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Greet.Cardon@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Greet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardon
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Ilse.DeBourdeaudhuij@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Bourdeaudhuij
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, 1402 Washington Heights, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. KBabiak@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Babiak
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Annick.Willem@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Willem
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D057766:Policy; D013177:Sports; D035502:Trust; D035862:Vulnerable Populations