Research, Evaluation, & Communication

Research and evaluation are core to our organizational culture. We collect real-time data on the outputs and outcomes of our athlete trainings and our school and community-based health education programs. We are constantly analyzing data to see what we’ve done well and where we can improve. We include community-based focus groups in our research and evaluation process, and we apply that feedback to our program development.

As we aspire to scale up our programs, we also think it is critical that we share our success and our lessons learned. For this reason, we constantly look for opportunities to speak at conferences, share our white papers, and learn from what others are doing in the public health and youth development sectors.

Publications and Presentations

• Wolfe, D., Murphy, E.,  (2020). Tackling Stigma Through Sports: Collegiate Athletes Lead Health Programs for DC Youth. International Conference on Stigma. Poster Presentation. 
• Vedder, N., Hoglin, B., Bennett, C. (2020). Middle School Health Curriculum through Community Engagement of NCAA Athletes. American School Health Association. Roundtable Presentation.
• Benzing-Plourde, A., Murphy, E., Collins, M., Negron, L. (2020). NCAA College Athletes Teaching Health Through Sports in Washington, D.C. American School Health Association. Poster Presentation.
• Spencer, T., Longhurst, R., Brown, J. (2020). The Future for Non-Profits Post COVID-19. Atlantic Institute. Atlantic Fellows Conversations Podcast.
• Melendez-Torres, G.J., Spencer, T., Ingram, L., Zimmerman, R., Pettengill, R., Mullman, M., Otterbein, M., Stein, R., Kilburn, C. (2020). Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of The Grassroot Project, a Sport-Based Sexual Health Promotion Program for Urban Middle School Students. American Journal of Sexuality Education. 15(4): 465-475.
• Jones, M., McAuliffe, A., Wallis, J., Rose, L., Mushavi, R., Sozhamannan, S., Kamanga, L., Anderson, A., Robins, J., Spencer, T. (2019). Developing, Piloting, and Evaluating a School-Based Nutritional Health Program in Washington DC. American School Health Association. Poster Presentation.
• McAuliffe, A., Kamanga, L. (2019). Strategies for Engaging Parents and Caregivers in School-Based Sexual Health Education. National Sexuality Education Conference. Workshop Presentation.
• Kamanga, L., McAuliffe, A. (2019). The Grassroot Project: NCAA Student-Athletes Promoting Sexual Health in DC Middle Schools. National Sexuality Education Conference. Workshop Presentation.
• Spencer, T. (2019). Creating and Sustaining a Youth-Led HIV Prevention Organization in Washington, DC. National HIV Prevention Conference. Storytelling Session.
• Spencer, T., Wallis, J. (2018). Best Practices for Optimizing School Interventions that Support Parent and Caregiver Engagement in Sex Ed. American School Health Association. Oral Presentation.
• Sozhamannan, S., Wallis, J., Mushavi, R., Spencer, T. (2018) Grassroots Fam: An Interactive Parent-Child Communication Component. American Pregnancy Prevention Conference: Strengthening Communities: Promoting Resiliency in Youth and Families. Poster Presentation.
• Wallis, J., Sozhamannan, S.,Mushavi, R., (2018) Parent-Child Communication Strategies. American Pregnancy Prevention Conference: Strengthening Communities: Promoting Resiliency in Youth and Families. Round Table Discussion.
• Spencer, T., Zimmerman, R., Ingram, L. (2017). Preliminary Results of a Cluster-Randomized Trial Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Sports-Based HIV Prevention Program for At-risk Adolescents in Washington, D.C. Schools. Society for Prevention Research Annual Meeting. Poster Presentation.
• Waldorf, L., Spencer, T., Onyango, D. van Deth, L., Kaplan, M., Gunthrop, J. (2017). Supporting Community-Based Work: Myths, Realities, and Achieving the End of AIDS by 2030. Funders Concerned About AIDS: AIDS Philanthropy Summit. Panel Presentation.
• Goldman, J., Gottlieb, M., Spencer, T., Ruiz, R. (2017). Normalizing Testing: Everyone Has an HIV Status (Sports as a Platform, Athletes as Influencers). United States Conference on AIDS. Panel Presentation.
• Bourie, M., Boudreau, E., Hess, M. (2015) Grassroots Jam: Building Community Connections. Clinton Global Initiative University. Commitment to Action.
• Spencer, T., Nayak, P. (2013). Building Your Team: Strengthening Organizational Leadership and Capacity. Clinton Global Initiative University. Skills-Building Session.
• Kaufman, Z., Spencer, T., Ross, D. (2013). Effectiveness of Sport-Based HIV Prevention Interventions: a Systematic Review of the Evidence. AIDS and Behavior. 17(3): 987-1001.
• Wallis, J., Mullman, M. (2013). Coaching The Community On HIV/AIDS Stigma: Getting Parents Off the Bench and Into the Game. Clinton Global Initiative University. Resolution Social Venture Challenge Poster Presentation.
• Spencer, T., Fair, L., Kaufman, Z., Braunschweig, E. (2012). International Perspectives and Experiences in Sport-Based HIV Prevention for Young People. XIX International AIDS Conference. Global Village Youth Pavillion Panel Presentation. 
• Yunus, M. Schwab, K., Spencer, T., Rabana, R., George, M., Bowerman, N. (2012). The Future Across Generations. World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. Closing Plenary.

Quotes

“Having the opportunity to represent TGP at the American School Health Association Conference not only gave me valuable presentation skills, but also gave me a look into the world of health education that I had not gotten before. I had previously found it easy to get stuck in the DMV bubble; born and raised in Northern Virginia and now attending a DC university, I haven’t known much else. Through TGP and now ASHA, I have gotten the chance to connect with the broader metropolitan area and the country through amazing lectures, interactive sessions and inspiring keynote speakers. I was so fortunate to have an incredible team by my side. To have a professional psychologist, a doctor, and a TGP legend all alongside me through this journey was motivating and eye opening. As someone who studies international affairs, Latin America and political science, I can get bogged down with my work. ASHA has redefined what I understand public health is and has allowed me to be an even better TGP coach.”

-Lara Negrón Ocasio, George Washington University Women’s Rowing

“Presenting at the International Conference on Stigma was an incredible experience. Being able to share what TGP does and have that connection with others on their work to reduce health related stigma was very eye-opening”

-Dylan Wolfe, American University Women’s Soccer

“I am thankful to have had the opportunity to share a little bit about what The Grassroot Project does at the International Conference on Stigma. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to connect with other people within my field of study and gain some insight on the research and other work being done to reduce health related stigma.”

-Elijah Murphy, American University Wrestling