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, Children
Goal: Coaching Corps works to improve the health, educational, and social outcomes for children living in low-income neighborhoods by increasing access to high-quality sports activities.
Impact: Coaching Corps works to improve the physical, emotional and social health of girls and boys growing up in poverty and communities of color by mentoring through sports. To date, 3,000 volunteer coaches have "changed the game" for more than 30,000 children.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Air
Goal: CMOP's goal is to reduce methane emissions from coalbeds by promoting the profitable recovery and use of coal mine methane.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Student Performance K-12, Children, Teens, Families
Goal: Coalition for Community Schools’ mission is to mobilize the resources and capacity of multiple sectors and institutions to create a united movement for community schools.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Children
Goal: The goal of this program is to provide students with skills that can be used for understanding and controlling their emotions.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Educational Attainment, Teens
Goal: College Track's goal is to transform low-income communities into places where college readiness and college graduation are the norms by providing direct service, community partnerships, and advocacy.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Civic Engagement
Goal: The goal of the Coming of Age initiative is to promote civic engagement, learning and community leadership among residents ages 50 years and older.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children, Families
Goal: The goal of Commit 2B Fit is to educate and motivate children to be physically active and develop healthy eating habits.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
Goal: The goal of CMCA is to change policies and practices of major community institutions to reduce underage access to alcohol.
Impact: CMCA intervention significantly and favorably affected drinking behavior of 18- to 20-year olds and also significantly and favorably affected the practices of establishments serving alcohol. Alcohol merchants increased age-identification checking and reduced their sales to minors. Older teenagers (18 to 20 years old) reduced their provision of alcohol to other teens and were less likely to try to buy alcohol or drink in a bar. Arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol declined significantly among 18- to 20-year-olds.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Adolescent Health, Teens
Goal: The Communities That Care Coalition's mission is to bring Franklin County schools, parents, youth and the community together to promote protective factors, reduce risk factors, prevent substance use and other risky behaviors, and improve young people's ability to reach their full potential and thrive.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Goal: The clear goal of CARE is to foster projects that will become self-sustaining and use CARE funding as seed money. The CARE Process is designed to encourage communities to enlist the support of project partners that will enable the project to continue even without EPA resources. Rather than supporting one time projects, CARE will support community partnerships that will endure and provide environmental benefits long into the future.