Below are brief summaries of Grant Results Reports available on past grantmaking in this field of interest. In some cases, the grants were made before the team decided on its current strategic objective. Findings and lessons from the grants described have nonetheless informed RWJF’s grantmaking. Visit the Foundation’s Web site www.rwjf.org for more Grant Results Reports.

Spirituality, Family and Social Connections May Be Key to Improving Health and Fitness in Minority Communities
According to national statistics, African Americans and Hispanics are less active than whites, and people in poor communities are less active than those in affluent communities. To better understand the cultural barriers that prevent these populations from benefiting from physical activity, Pyramid Communications conducted a survey of leaders in minority communities, which found: the physical environment does not support healthy behaviors; the stress of racism and low socioeconomic status lead to attitudes that do not motivate individuals to pursue a healthy lifestyle; and being overweight in these communities does not necessarily have a negative connotation. Recommendations include: motivating parents to be more physically active along with their children; and putting physical activity and healthy eating in a holistic and spiritual context. See the Grant Results Report at www.rwjf.org/reports/grr/046264.htm.

Series of Neighborhood Events Gets Durham, N.C. Residents Up and Moving
Communities can play a role in promoting physical activity, but few models demonstrate how. Durham Central Park set out to make one downtown neighborhood more activity-friendly. In 2001, working with a coalition of community groups, project staff organized more than 20 community events with physical activity components. Held in and around a new five-acre park, events included African-American dance workshops, YMCA fitness walks and gardening sessions. The events were well attended and drew significant media coverage. This pilot project—along with other funded projects in Rhode Island, Colorado and New Jersey—informed the development of RWJF’s Active Living by Design program (www.activelivingbydesign.org) to help communities make it easier for people to be physically active by changing community design, transportation and architecture. See the Grant Results Report at www.rwjf.org/portfolios/resources/grantsreport.jsp?filename=040172.htm.

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