Margot Zaharek, MS, CD-N¹, Kari Hartwig, DrPH², Zubaida Faridi, MBBS, MPH¹, Richard Louis Dunville, BS², Michelle A. LaRovera¹, and David L Katz, MD, MPH³. (1) CBPR Division, Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, 130 Division Street, Derby, CT 06418, (203) 732-1265, margot.zaharek@yalegriffinprc.org, (2) Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale School of Medicine, 60 College Street, P.O. Box 208034, New Haven, CT 06520, (3) Yale School of Medicine/Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, 130 Division Street, Derby, CT 06418

Background: The Healthy People 2010 Microgrants Program provided small grants of $2,010 to non-profit organizations across the state of Connecticut. The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (PRC) managed the grants, provided technical assistance to agencies and evaluated the results of the program. Funded organizations included civic, faith-based, medical, community service and government agencies. Methods: Non-profit organizations applied on a competitive basis. Data collection methods included pre- and post-baseline surveys among recipient agencies as well as control group agencies. Capacity questions included size of staff, experience applying for grants, size of population served as well as self-assessed measures of perceived capacity to reach targeted HP2010 objectives. Qualitative methods included evaluations of workshops (grant writing, program managment, evaluation, and presentation of findings), focus groups, and narrative reports. Both quantitative statistical measures and qualitative content analyses were conducted to generate results. Results: In comparison to the control group (67)the microgrant recipients (100) reported increased organizational capacity (p<.0001). Qualitative analyses suggested that the provision of workshops, networking opportunities, and encouraging the pilot-testing of new project ideas facilitated this. The flexibility of the funding process also allowed organizations to tailor projects to local priorities. Networking opportunities and the small size of the grant fostered partnerships between agencies and other groups. Staff at young grass-roots organizations and junior staff at established agencies improved their self-efficacy through the mini-grants application and management experience. Conclusion: Small grants accompanied by tailored training and networking opportunities can increase community organizations' capacity to promote HP 2010.

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