Publications and results
The reports and publications linked below highlight the process and evaluation results of the 10 years of the Backyard Initiative.
Final Report
The Backyard Initiative: A 10-year Community Health Partnership
Annual Reports
Assessment, evaluation and research
Assessment, evaluation, and research within the BYI was a collaborative effort where all participating members were acknowledged as having knowledge, experience and commitment that was relevant to the scope of the project. Given these principles, dissemination of research was considered both an opportunity and a responsibility of project participants.
Community at the Core: The Backyard Initiative Evaluation Findings (2018): The results of the 2018 BYI evaluation reveal important considerations for an effective community health improvement effort that enables participants to engage, to build systems of support, and to better take care of their health.
Community at the Core: The Backyard Initiative Evaluation Findings (2016): This report describes the process and results of a survey conducted from June through September 2016 to better understand the impact of the Backyard Initiative's Community Health Action Teams' activities on participants' health as defined by the health priorities of the BYI.
The Backyard Initiative Community Health Survey: Assessing Social Cohesion and General Health Status (2015): This poster describes how data from the Community Health Survey was used to assess the relationship between social cohesion and general health status in the Backyard. It was presented at the 2015 American Public Health Association (APHA) Meeting.
Benefits to Backyard Residents (2015): This report describes the Backyard Initiative's initial assessment of the benefits of the BYI to Backyard residents. This stage of the evaluation sought to answer the question "Has the BYI approach changed Backyard residents' ability to take care of their own health?"
Backyard Initiative Evaluation Report: Development of CHAT Capacity for Health Promotion (2014): This report describes the Backyard Initiative's assessment of CHATs' ability to implement health promotion activities and impact community health.
Community at the Core: The Backyard Initiative Community Health Survey: Summary of the Findings (2013): This report describes the Backyard Initiative's 2013 community health survey that collected information on five health-related areas: (1) social support, (2) social cohesion, (3) health literacy, (4) perceived stress, and (5) patient activation. A total of 206 people completed the survey.
Leadership and Management of the Backyard Initiative Partnership (2012): This report describes the Backyard Initiative's initial input evaluation which asked whether the "right people" and the "right process" were in place to achieve the initiative's short and long-term goals.
Community at the Core: Backyard Initiative Assessment Report (2009): This report describes the Backyard Initiative's community needs assessment process, and summarizes the findings and recommendations from 21 listening circles and 677 walk-around interviews.
The Alley
The Alley, the community newspaper of the Phillips Community in Minneapolis, regularly reports on the Backyard Initiative.
What is the Backyard Initiative?: The March 2016 issue of The Alley included a detailed description of the history and work of the Backyard Initiative.
Backyard Initiative Community Health Action Teams: Achievements in 2013: The December 2013 issue of The Alley included a three-page insert detailing the Backyard Initiative's process and describing CHAT achievements in 2013.
Presenting to You: The Faces, Voices and Work of the Backyard Initiative: The July 2012 issue of The Alley was largely dedicated to reflecting the voices and activities over the past year of the Backyard Initiative.
The Backyard Initiative: Strengthening Community Health Improvement: The August 2011 issue of The Alley included a four-page insert with updates on what's happening in the Backyard, details about Community Health Action Teams (CHATs) and a focus on mental health improvement.