A Promising Practice is a program, intervention, or policy that has demonstrated positive or successful results and shows potential for improving community health and quality of life. These practices highlight documented approaches that communities can learn from, adapt, and implement.
The platform includes a national collection of thousands of Promising Practices designed to support health professionals, community leaders, and residents in identifying effective strategies to address community health priorities.
Purpose of the Promising Practices Resource
The goal of the Promising Practices resource is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of effective programs, practices, and policy approaches across communities. By sharing examples of what has worked elsewhere, this resource helps users:
- Learn from proven or emerging approaches
- Inform planning and decision‑making
- Support evidence‑informed community health improvement efforts
- Share ideas and solutions across communities
Promising Practices focus on community health and well‑being and cover a wide range of topic areas.
Practice Rankings
Promising Practices are categorized based on the strength of available evidence and documented outcomes. These rankings help users understand how much evidence supports a particular practice. Categories include:
- Good Ideas – Innovative or emerging approaches with early signs of success
- Effective Practices – Programs or policies with documented positive outcomes
- Evidence‑Based Practices – Approaches supported by strong research and evaluation findings
For more information about how practices are classified, see the Practice Ranking Methodology.
Where Promising Practices Come From
Promising Practices are drawn from a wide variety of credible and diverse sources, including:
- National tools and guidance, such as the CDC Community Guides
- Other recognized best‑practice or evidence‑based practice databases
- Local, state, and territorial health departments
- Federal agencies
- Universities and academic institutions
- Peer‑reviewed academic and research journals
- Community‑based organizations across the country
- Submissions from community partners
This broad range of sources helps ensure that Promising Practices reflect both research‑based evidence and real‑world community experience.
If you have a Promising Practice that you would like to submit, read the guidelines for How to Submit a Promising Practice.