Evaluation Methods in Community Microgrant Programs for Health Promotion: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Promotion
• Program Evaluation

Background:

• Community-based health promotion programs are essential for evidence-based practices and resource allocation.
• Community microgrant schemes are a viable strategy for local health promotion.
• Limited guidance exists for evaluating these microgrant programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the methods used in evaluating community microgrants programs for health promotion.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
• Peer-reviewed and gray literature evaluating community-based microgrant programs for health promotion in high-income countries were included.
• Literature searches were performed across multiple databases and search engines, with subsequent screening of articles.

Main Results:

• 14 microgrant programs described in 18 publications met the inclusion criteria (1996-2020, 5 countries).
• Evaluation designs were predominantly mixed-methods case studies, focusing on both processes and outcomes.
• Significant variation existed in measurement and data collection; few programs explicitly used evaluation frameworks, involved stakeholders, or discussed dissemination of findings.

Conclusions:

• Community-based microgrant programs show promise for health promotion but lack robust evaluations.
• There is a need to develop and support evaluation practices for public health programs, including small-scale initiatives.