The Missouri Foundation for Health currently funds an evaluation of a multi-site obesity prevention initiative. Grantees implement physical activity and healthy eating projects in rural and urban settings in Missouri. This study examines the differences in the number of, diversity of, and contributions of partnerships formed in conjunction with rural and urban obesity prevention projects. As part of the evaluation’s core data set, information has been collected using a mixed methods approach of the partnerships formed to implement projects. While projects in rural settings often produced a larger number of partnerships, urban projects partnered more often with organizations they considered critical to project success, and received a wider variety of contributions from these vital partners. The authors will highlight ways in which we may want to assess partnerships differently for rural versus urban projects. #rural #MixedMethodsEvaluation #Partnership #Partnershipdevelopment #2012Conference #obesity