ABSTRACT Community-engaged approaches to research can increase trust, enhance the relevance and use of research, address issues of equity and justice, and increase community knowledge and capacity. The HERCULES Exposome Research Center sought to engage local Atlanta communities to learn about and address their self-identified environmental health concerns. To do this, HERCULES and their stakeholder partners collaboratively developed a community grant programme. The programme was evaluated using mixed qualitative methods that included document review and semi-structured interviews. This paper presents the development, implementation, and evaluation of the grant programme. HERCULES awarded one-year grants of $2,500 to 12 organisations within the Atlanta region, for a total 13 grants and $32,500 in funding. Grantees reported accomplishments related to community knowledge, awareness, and engagement in addition to material accomplishments. All grantees planned to sustain their programmes, and some received additional funding to do so. Some grantees remained actively involved with HERCULES beyond the grant programme. The HERCULES Community Grant Program was able to increase awareness of HERCULES among applicant communities, establish or enhance relationships with community-based organisations, and identify local environmental health concerns while providing tangible results for grantees and the communities they serve. Mini-grant programmes are a feasible approach to address community environmental health and establish new relationships. This model may benefit others who aim to establish community-academic relationships while addressing community health concerns.

中文翻译：

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实施社区拨款计划，解决社区驱动的环境健康问题

摘要 社区参与的研究方法可以增加信任，增强研究的相关性和用途，解决公平和正义问题，并增加社区知识和能力。HERCULES 暴露组研究中心寻求让亚特兰大当地社区参与进来，了解并解决他们自己确定的环境健康问题。为此，HERCULES 及其利益相关者合作伙伴共同制定了社区资助计划。该计划使用混合定性方法进行评估，包括文件审查和半结构化访谈。本文介绍了资助计划的制定、实施和评估。HERCULES 向亚特兰大地区的 12 个组织提供了为期一年的 2,500 美元赠款，总计 13 笔赠款和 32,500 美元的资金。除了物质成就外，受资助者还报告了与社区知识、意识和参与相关的成就。所有受赠者都计划维持他们的计划，其中一些受赠者为此获得了额外资金。一些受资助者在资助计划之外仍然积极参与 HERCULES。HERCULES 社区资助计划能够提高申请社区对 HERCULES 的认识，建立或加强与社区组织的关系，并确定当地的环境健康问题，同时为受资助者及其服务的社区提供切实的成果。小额赠款计划是解决社区环境健康问题和建立新关系的可行方法。这种模式可能会让那些旨在建立社区学术关系同时解决社区健康问题的其他人受益。