Table 4 Themes from Interviews with Directors of Food-Oriented Projects funded by the West Virginia Growing Healthy Communities mini-grant program, 2017

Social cohesion

“It is, we’re baffled at the creativity that these people come up with. It’s wonderful how they encourage each other, because they’re all there for the same reason. … It’s great to see some of the older people who’ve done this since they were children ... they assist the others and give them advice.” (Food Site 1)

Collaboration to complete the project

“We have a lot of 4H clubs, a lot of 4H clubs here, and we have WVU, of course, the master gardeners, and they’re great. They’re willing to come in when we get the high tunnels. They’re gonna come in and help the 4H clubs and help the children and teach them how to do this. So, we partner with WVU as well, we’re going to when we get the high tunnels.” (Food Site 3)

Limited time

“I think the funds arrive in February, mid to late February … and you have to expand them by the end of June. So, that doesn’t leave a lot time when we realize if other resources are needed which 9 out of 10 times that’s the case.” (Food Site 2)

Positive future direction

“We are looking at taking it one step further. I am in the process of getting ready to sit down and put together a grant for the USDA to put an actual all year-round indoor farmers market in our building. Main Street and one of the buildings in [site city name] and we are looking at putting it into one of our street level retail spots.” (Food Site 1)

Quantifying success

“Health wise we have every other week, every other two weeks or something. We have somebody coming in we offer like blood pressure, you know, that kind of thing. … It makes me happy being a grandmother myself, to see little kids walking around, with either a fresh peach rather than a cupcake or something like that.” (Food Site 3)

Measurement integration

“I don’t know whether we see that part. We haven’t really got into it because I am not an expert on the health issue. We are looking at it as an economic driver for the farms here. At one point in time there were over 1000 farmers in [site county name]… educate the low-income people … even if it is only tomatoes, or only peppers ...” (Food Site 1)