Promising Practices
The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.
The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Crime & Crime Prevention, Families
The goal of beautification and restoration projects is to restore neighborhoods and communities in order to prevent criminal activity and encourage community engagement.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Social Environment, Children, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
The goals of this program are to improve parenting skills and children’s behaviors and decrease conduct disorders; to improve children’s social competencies; and to improve family attachment, harmony, communication, and organization.
Filed under Effective Practice, Community / Civic Engagement, Children, Teens
The overall goal of the Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) program is to establish a collaboration among high school students, college mentors, and local business leaders as the high school students complete experiential learning projects related to global entrepreneurship.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Children, Families
The program's goal is to help four- and five-year old children become better prepared for kindergarten.
Filed under Effective Practice, Education / Educational Attainment, Teens, Urban
The mission of Summer Search is to find resilient low-income high school students and inspire them to become responsible and altruistic leaders by providing year-round mentoring, life-changing summer experiences, college advising, and a lasting support network.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Cancer
The goal of this campaign was to educate park visitors about the need to protect themselves from the damaging rays of the sun and how best to prevent skin cancer.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
To bring a culture of physical activity to the Latino and African-American communities in Chicago in order to decrease health problems related to inactivity.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of the SHAKE program is to use elementary school-based programming to promote childhood health and fitness.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
The goal of this project is to identify environmentally preferable building materials and products, to specify them in HOK's own projects, and to guide others in the profession in doing the same.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Urban
The goal of Sustainable Rain is to create opportunities for businesses to lead a tangible sustainable landscape project, as well as to increase community awareness of sustainability.