Key Points: -- Focused policy change objectives, such as those of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, have been critical in establishing and supporting compelling relationships with non-traditional coalitions that close the disparities gap in communities where tobacco control policies have been customarily scarce.

-- Appropriately constructed state-supported technical assistance programs, as in California and Indiana, can be invaluable in providing technical assistance and resources to the effectual development and maintenance of community collaboratives to pass strong local policies.

-- Healthy coalition partnerships, as evidenced by success in Houston area campaigns, requires close cooperation, rights sharing and fair division of responsibilities.

Learning Objectives: --Assess own program efficacy through careful review of other successfully funded non-traditional programs.

-- Describe ways to maximize coalition capacity through available, appropriately configured state technical assistance and resources.

--Identify strategies to sustain mobilization efforts through healthy partnerships between community and established health organizations.

Benefits: Mobilizing community coalitions is a challenging yet effective way to advance local and state policy change initiatives. This session will explore three winning approaches to mobilizing coalitions for policy change from four demonstrated leaders. Specifically, the panel will: (1) explain initiatives that have created an opportunity gateway for community coalitions to engage in policy change campaigns; (2) describe state-supported technical assistance programs that, when properly constructed, can maximize coalition capacity; and (3) outline partner building strategies proven fruitful in advancing meaningful policy change efforts.