Book excerpt: Coalitions and Partnerships in Community Health is astep-by-step guide for building durable coalitions to improvecommunity and public health. This important resource provides an in-depth, analytical, andpractical approach to building, sustaining, and nurturing thesecomplex organizations. Author Frances Dunn Butterfoss includes all the tools forsuccess in collaborative work from a research and practice-basedstance. The book contains useful approaches to the issues,recommendations for action, resources for further study, andexamples from actual coalition work. Coalitions and Partnerships in Community Healthexplores Historical foundations of coalitions and partnerships Principles of collaboration and partnering Benefits and challenges of a coalition approach Coalition frameworks and models Cultivating coalition leadership Roles and responsibilities of coalition staff, leaders, andmembers Communication, decision-making, and problem-solvingmethods Vision, mission, and bylaws Effective marketing Planning for sustainability Approaches to assessment Developing strategic and action plans Implementing coalition strategies in the community Media advocacy, strategies, and tips Participatory coalition evaluation