Changing the landscape of funding: Collaborations that leverage resources to reach populations most in need

Purpose: Demonstrate how a national partnership between the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Susan G. Komen for the Cure is changing public health practice by building capacity to use tools for evidence-based program planning.

Design and Methods: NCI's Cancer Information Service (CIS) is working with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to leverage resources to ensure that funding dollars reach populations most in need. In collaboration with NCI's Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS), the CIS is conducting training on the use of evidence-based program planning tools such as Consumer Health Profiles and Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E. T, as well as piloting a new web portal called PRIME (Program Resources for Implementation, Management and Evaluation). Through its regional Partnership Program CIS is building the capacity of grantees to write successful evidence-based grant applications and adapt interventions using NCI's education program, Using What Works.

Results: Two NCI CIS regions and Komen Affiliates in Texas and New Jersey used data-driven grant solicitations to expand service areas, increased the number of grants submitted with measurable objectives and evidence-based strategies, and used novel ways to create incentives for grantees whose grant applications are evidence-based. Evaluation data from two partnerships will be presented.

Conclusions: Evidence-based interventions can stretch scarce funding resources by focusing dollars on interventions that have been shown to work. Changing the funding culture requires a multi-level approach that engages funding organizations at national and local levels, as well as their grantees, and builds capacity for using evidence-based program planning tools.