Strengthening Collaborative Action for Community Health and Development

Collaborative action and engagement are essential for improving community health and development.  Effective community action requires a prepared workforce working together in common purpose. Yet, supports for collaborative action are limited given the need. This article outlines a framework for collaborative action; highlighting core processes associated with assessment, mobilization, planning, intervention, and evaluation and sustainability. We describe tools for building capacity for collaborative action, including our experience in developing the Community Tool Box with over 5.6 million global users. We illustrate core processes for community engagement with examples of collaborative efforts that promote community health.