Promising Practices
The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.
The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Civic Engagement, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The Initiative's goal was to increase voter participation rates among infrequent voters, particularly in low-income and ethnic communities.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children, Teens, Families, Rural
Goal: Camp Erin's goal is to help children through the grieving process by offering grief education and emotional support in a weekend-long camp.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Cancer, Women
Goal: The goal of this program is to provide routine cancer screenings to the underserved population of incarcerated women in Indiana.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Nutrition & Healthy Eating, Rural
Goal: CVAN is the Kansas conduit for tons of healthy produce from the Catholic Charities Mary Martha Organization--the steward of excess highly perishable high quality foods from a huge Walmart Distribution Center in Oklahoma. As food supplies allow, CVAN distributes to the 100 square mile school district and to share with a networked family of pantries and volunteer organizations in five Kansas counties and South Coffeyville, OK. As needed, CVAN has recruited distribution volunteers in covering communities within this economically depressed region. The network family was built upon the CVAN’s supply of fresh produce, but is now blessing this area with distribution of CARES foods during the COVID crisis. Its volunteers are food warriors--winning in the fight against rural hunger.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Families
Goal: The goal of Care-A-Van is to provide access to medical care for uninsured and impoverished working families.
Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Employment
Goal: The goal of this program is to improve retention of hospital employees to address critical shortages in health care staffing.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Older Adults
Goal: To provide transportation and improve patient satisfaction for nonemergency medical services.
Impact: CareMore's NEMT was so successful in the first 3 months, the programs were expanded in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Virginia.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Children, Families, Rural
Goal: The mission of the Caring Bear Picnic is to educate children and parents on how to live healthy lifestyles through hands-on activities.
Impact: For over 30 years, the Caring Bear Picnic has educated children and parents on how to live healthy lifestyles through hands-on activities.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens, Urban
Goal: To meet the housing needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth ages 18-24.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Transportation, Adults, Urban
Goal: The goal of Casual Carpool is to match commuters in order to reduce traffic congestion and to save money for both drivers and passengers by avoiding public transit fees and bridge tolls.