Capacity Building
Boosting impact and sustainability in Oregon
The Community Partnership Program provides a variety of resources for applicants and grantees to help enhance the impact of their projects and create future sustainability. Capacity building opportunities and resources available to applicants and grantees include:
Pre-award resources
Support for project design and evaluation planning
Prior to proposal submission, potential applicants are eligible to receive one hour of evaluation consultation per project to assistance with objectives, deliverables and an evaluation plan.
Informational webinars and other technical assistance
Provided to applicants who seek help with crafting a competitive proposal. Additionally, staff are available to meet one-to-one with applicants to answer questions specific to the application and proposed project concept.
Putting Public Health Evidence in Action training
This workshop has been delivered in partnership with the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN), with funding from the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Participants gain capacity-building skills to effectively select, adapt and implement evidence-based approaches and policies for chronic disease or cancer prevention and control. (Available pre- and post- award)
Post-award resources
Evaluation
Grantees receive expert guidance to finalize their evaluation plan, select appropriate evaluation tools and develop a strategy for collecting and storing data, if applicable.
Human subjects protection
Grantees receive project-specific technical support to determine if their project is considered human subjects research, either receiving human subjects protection approval and/or oversight by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), as needed.
Networking and collaboration activities
Grantees are offered opportunities to network and collaborate with peers at multiple points during the project period to address common challenges and share experiences around cancer-related topics.
Training opportunities
Grantees have access to workshops and trainings to support the planning and successful implementation of their projects. Topics include data collection methods, data analysis, and project/program sustainability.
Grantee quotes about technical assistance they received
Staff were incredibly responsive...
Knight Cancer Institute staff were incredibly responsive and supported us with problem-solving as we encountered various barriers. The support we received from the OHSU evaluation core was incredibly helpful from the onset of the project. We also appreciated the Human Subjects Protection/IRB assistance, as OSBHA staff working on this project had not previously gone through an IRB application process. Across the board, Knight Cancer Institute staff were incredibly responsive and supported us with problem-solving as we encountered various barriers.
Oregon School-Based Health Alliance Tier 2 project: Youth to Youth HPV Prevention in High School
Without this assistance...
Without this assistance the project would not have been properly implemented much less achieve the results that have been generated.
Urban League of Portland, Tier 1 project: Older Adult Cancer Coalition Project
Significant support...
We found the training and technical assistance provided by Knight Cancer Institute a significant support during the grant project. The Knight team was accessible and helpful in providing clarification of project guidelines and expectations. This was especially appreciated in navigating aspects of the project outside the organization’s normal expertise, particularly IRB assistance. The Putting Public Health Evidence in Action workshop proved especially helpful both as a refresher course for our staff, who have previous research experience, but are not working in the field in the course of day to day organizational operations. The workshop was also quite useful in shaping the scope of the project, as learning more about the expectations specific to Tier 2 and Tier 3 grants allowed a better sense of how to craft a Tier 1 needs assessment which would align with the goal of eventually progressing to a Tier 2 or Tier 3 project.
Oregon Cancer Foundation, Tier 1 project: Survivor and Caregiver Support Program for Lane County
I really enjoyed...
I really enjoyed the technical assistance call from the Evaluation Director to help develop measurements. This project is an assessment, which can be challenging to conduct evaluation objectives. Having expertise assessable was very beneficial.
Yamhill County Health and Human Services, Tier 1 project: Yamhill County Cancer Awareness Project
We were always aware...
We were always aware that we could contact Knight at any time we needed assistance. That was very valuable and felt supportive. Assistance in evaluating the project from an empirical standpoint and writing our reports was very helpful.
UKANDU, Tier 2 project: Teen Retreat Program for Teen Cancer Patients, Survivors, and Siblings
More quotes
The entire OHSU/Knight CPP team has been incredible to work with. As a community partner, the research aspects of this project were foreign and every resource provided was immensely helpful in understanding the process, terminology, etc. The support teams provided streamlined and clear guidance throughout the project. We could not have accomplished this project without the technical support from these teams.
Uriel Medical Foundation, Tier 2 project: Pilot Program for Long-Distance Expansion of SHADE Sun Safety Science Curriculum
The training and tools provided helped in training the walking leaders and provided insight to different aspects and ideas that other grantees utilized, which were successes and learning opportunities for them.
Sky lakes Cancer Treatment Center, Special Call project: Step It Up Survivors!, Sunshine City Strollers: Creating Healthy Lifestyles for Cancer Survivors and Their Families
I utilized the Putting Public Health Into Action workshop notebook as well as the modules in my trainings for interns working toward their Masters in Public Health. They found it incredibly helpful to have such a great resource for creating evidence-based programs, including online resources to find studies.
Friends of Zenger Farm, Tier 3 project: CSA Partnerships for Health: Reducing Cancer Risk and Chronic Disease among Latinos
I felt that the technical assistance provided in support of our organization during the project was phenomenal! Every step of the way, from the start, we were provided materials, resources and education that assisted our project. The seminars were perfect for providing inspiration from other funded projects, and countless connections to other grantees. I never felt unsure on how to proceed forward. We had a plan from the beginning, and when I needed to change a few aspects and had questions, I was provided immediate responses that helped me to move forward in our project.
Family YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties, Tier 3 project: LIVESTRONG at the YMCA
Grantee Conference
The Community Partnership Program's grantee conference is held annually as a way for grantees to create new connections and potential collaborations with others who are also working to solve cancer needs with their community. Participants have gathered in Eugene, Portland, Salem, Sunriver, and Welches, Oregon for two days to present project findings, share best practices and learn new ways to meet to cancer needs identified within their communities.
Capacity building is a key part of the conference with speakers and group activities covering subjects designed to help support the development of successful, sustainable projects. Featured speakers have included:
- Adrienne Zell, Ph.D., Director, OHSU Evaluation Core | Assistant Director, OCTRI
- Amanda Bruegl, M.D., Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology with OHSU
- Brian Druker, M.D., CEO of the Knight Cancer Institute
- Cynthia Perry, Ph.D., Senior Advisor for Implementation Science in the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences at the National Cancer Institute
- Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, M.D., Oregon State Senator, District 17
- Nathalie Johnson, M.D., Medical Director of Legacy Cancer Institute
- Russell Glasgow, Ph.D., Director, Dissemination and Implementation Science Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Providing opportunities to collaborate
"At the grantee conference I was able to learn about similar projects already conducted through CPP funding. We were able to reach out to folks who had implemented similar projects after the conference to learn more about their projects and ask specific questions related to our project. These learnings helped to guide our own implementation. I was also able to learn about other projects relevant to our non-CPP work."
Eastern Oregon Healthy Living Alliance, Tier 3 project: Improving colorectal cancer screening rates in eastern Oregon in partnership with EOCCO Community Advisory Councils
Adapting to the public health situation: a virtual grantee gathering in 2021
The Community Partnership Program held a virtual grantee gathering in May 2021 instead of an in-person conference. The event was an opportunity for grantees to share best practices, gain skills, and network with peers from across the state in an effort to address local public health and cancer issues. Language interpretation was available in Spanish. The gathering was open to active grantees and project team members, including Tiered, Community Action Model, and COVID-19 Special Call grant cycles.
One of the highlights was the following presentation on Crook County Health Department’s Community Action Model grant, primarily delivered by high school students who are Community Leaders on the project. Click the image below to watch their six-minute section of the Crook County Health Department's presentation.
