Maximizing resources with mini-grants: enhancing preparedness capabilities and capacity in public health organizations.

INTRODUCTION

The Illinois Preparedness and Response Learning Center engages in efforts to develop and maintain a competent, sustainable, and prepared public health workforce in Illinois. Training, education, and technical assistance activities are driven by assessments conducted to identify preparedness gaps, needs, and priorities of public health organizations and the communities they serve.

BACKGROUND

Many public health organizations face limited resources to engage in activities they identify as essential to building preparedness and response capabilities and capacity. In response to this challenge, the Illinois Preparedness and Response Learning Center adapted a mini-grant program to support short-term, targeted preparedness-related activities for which there was a need but no discretionary resources available.

METHODS

A mini-grant program was implemented on the basis of a request for proposals, with projects funded for a 6-month period. An evaluation was conducted at 6 and 12 months to assess the impact of the local project on the capabilities and capacity of the organizations that participated.

RESULTS

Thirteen projects were funded in local health departments and other organizations in a variety of communities across Illinois. Evaluation results indicate that these short-term projects contributed to the organization's preparedness efforts and local partnerships 6 and 12 months after funding ended.

DISCUSSION

Even relatively small amounts of funding can assist public health agencies and their community partners in improving capabilities and building organizational and community capacity.

LESSONS LEARNED

(1) The mini-grant program model can help develop and cultivate preparedness partnership between academia and practice to achieve positive outcomes despite limited funding. (2) Funding self-assessed needs of organizations through a mini-grant process may have value for larger programs without the staff resources or time to provide customized preparedness services to a large target market/service area. (3) There appear to be benefits to channeling small amounts of funding to address targeted needs and gaps identified by organizations.