A Qualitative Analysis of Progress, Successes, and Challenges among Indiana Recipients As Part of a National Initiative to Reduce COVID-19–Related Health Disparities

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided funding to states as part of the CDC Disparities Grant initiative. The aim of the funding was to reduce chronic disease and COVID-19–related health disparities among vulnerable communities through four unique strategies. Funding was awarded to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to begin an Indiana chapter of this initiative, called Indiana Healthy Opportunities for People Everywhere (I-HOPE). From 2021 to 2023, the IDOH provided I-HOPE funding to local communities (subgrantees) to support the design and implementation of programs to improve community health. For example, programs worked to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, improve infrastructure, increase access to health care, and provide rural communities with housing opportunities. Evaluation of this programming helped to determine program success and secure future grant opportunities. The Purdue Evaluation Team and I performed a qualitative analysis to understand subgrantees’ progresses, successes, and challenges in implementing I-HOPE initiatives. Progress, successes, and challenges were collected via quarterly reports though REDCap. Responses were sorted according to CDC strategy and analyzed to identify themes and subthemes. The qualitative analysis produced seven unique themes that were consistent across responses relating to progress, successes, and challenges: collaboration, contracting, COVID-19, data, personnel, project implementation, and resources. Sorting responses by CDC strategy provided unique insights into each strategy. For example, CDC Strategy 1 subgrantees experienced the most challenges in regard to executing grant contracts, collecting data, and hiring staff, while CDC Strategy 4 subgrantees experienced progress executing grant contracts and collaboration with partners. This qualitative analysis successfully identified seven themes among responses to I-HOPE subgrantee progress, successes, and challenges. The challenge themes contributed to the development of six recommendations for the IDOH to improve future grant rollout processes.