Growing Healthy Communities Evaluation and HIA Training

Start date: January 1, 2015

Description: The West Virginia University School of Public Health’s Health Research Center (HRC) received an award to plan, implement and prepare retrospective evaluations outlining medium-term (2-3 years) outcomes and progress of 16 previously awarded Growing Healthy Community (GHC) projects. The GHC Program is a collaboration between the West Virginia Development Office (WVDO), Bureau for Public Health (BPH), and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation to provide mini-grants of up to $20,000 to West Virginia Main Street and ON-TRAC communities. These mini-grants aim to increase programming for community wellness, healthy food, and active living while promoting economic and community revitalization in line with the goals of the Main Street movement.

Additionally, the HRC will conduct training with GHC grantees to orient them to the benefits of Health Impact Assessment and help them explore how HIA can contribute to stronger implementation and impact of their projects.

Photos from Mid-Year Meeting held in Sutton, WV

Links to Training Materials

• Part One: Health and Economic Development
• Part Two: What is Evaluation?
• Part Three: Health Impact Assessment