Making neighborhoods easier and safer for walking, biking, and wheelchair rolling
Official title: Built environment approaches to physical activity: Testing community-driven implementation strategies
Funded at Chn Nebraska · NIH-11190810 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project partners with local Cooperative Extension offices to try community-led ways to make it safer and simpler for people of all ages and abilities to be active near home.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Chn Nebraska NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $141,985 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA280503-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11190810 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living in communities served by Cooperative Extension—including older adults, families, people with mobility limitations, and local leaders interested in safer walking or biking—are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals living outside the targeted Extension communities or in places where built-environment changes are not feasible may not see direct benefits from this pilot.
What this research studies
From my point of view, the team will work with Cooperative Extension staff and community members to choose and adapt built-environment changes like better sidewalks, bike lanes, and crossings. They will develop practical implementation strategies that communities can use and train local staff to carry them out. The project will pilot these approaches in Montana communities and track how well they are adopted and put into practice. Researchers will use local feedback and data on adoption to refine strategies for wider use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make it easier and safer to be physically active in daily life, which may lower risks for chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that built-environment changes can increase physical activity, but community-driven implementation strategies like these are relatively untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Chn Nebraska
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balis, Laura — Chn Nebraska
- Study coordinator: Balis, Laura
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.