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, Health / Physical Activity, Urban
The mission statement of Get Fresh Detroit is to increase access to fresh and healthy foods in Detroit by transforming the retail of fresh and healthy foods into viable and sustainable business opportunities for store owners in Detroit.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Transportation, Adults, Urban
The goal of the Get on Board program is to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in Tucson, AZ.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children, Teens
The goal of this program is to prevent violence among children and adolescents.
Filed under Good Idea, Economy / Housing & Homes, Children, Teens, Adults, Older Adults, Families, Urban
GLIDE Housing provides housing and housing assistance to homeless families, individuals recovering from substance abuse, and individual who are chronically homeless.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Wellness & Lifestyle, Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
During the course of the program, growers receive ongoing education and support from staff and interpreters, reducing language and cultural barriers that have historically limited refugee access to community gardening engagement. The Global Gardens curriculum focuses on increasing refugee growers’ skills in community and household gardening, utilizing a garden-based learning theory of education, and implementing participatory, learner-centered assessment techniques. The curriculum empowers growers to take the lead in their learning experience and increase connection to and responsibility for their physical environment.
Additionally, Global Gardens aims to increase participant knowledge of how to access local community gardening resources in Kansas City. Each growing season, participants are connected to Kansas City Community Gardens (KCCG), a non-profit that seeks to assist low-income households to produce vegetables from garden plots in backyards and community sites. Global Gardens participants receive membership information and introduction to the seed and plant ordering process, and practice using this resource during the course of the program, building individual self-sufficiency in navigating the process, and increasing likelihood of utilizing KCCG in future.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Teens, Urban
The goal of Grab n Go's is to ensure students begin the day with a healthy meal, in turn affecting overall health and education of students.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Energy & Sustainability, Urban
The goal of this legislation is to promote the design of more efficient buildings; thereby, reducing green house gas emissions, reducing energy costs, decreasing the use of potable water, and reducing the amount of stormwater runoff.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Air
The goal of the Green Engineering Program is to incorporate risk related concepts into chemical processes and products designed by academia and industry.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Urban
Green Guerillas' goal is to help gardeners cultivate and manage community gardens that thrive as parks, urban farms, and outdoor community centers.
Green Power Partnership - Bellingham's global warming pollution reduction through use of green power (Bellingham)
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Air
The goal is for cities or companies to reduce their carbon footprint. For example, research shows that buying 100 percent green power is the most significant step the City of Bellingham can take to protect the climate; it would eliminating more than 65 percent of the global warming pollution caused by municipal operations.