Table 5.

Recommendations for coalition-building for equity and justice.

Representation	Buy-In	Shared Values
Center the voices of those who have been historically underrepresented in your community. Leadership is important in keeping the coalition moving forward, but leaders should be representative of the members and serve at their direction; tri-chairs infrastructure can work great, especially when they get along well. Be inclusive of all community partners and residents, and be honest in identifying partners and especially residents with lived experience.	Do not get hung up on formality in structure before you have buy-in and trust; based on readiness, creating more formality in structure can be a means for ensuring inclusion. Be aware of, and address the needs of all partners and residents. Not everyone comes to the table for the same reason. Ensure buy-in from all partners through goal development and selection of activities. If members stop showing up for meetings, they’re probably not on board. Be patient with your coalition, and meet your members where they are at—but avoid stagnation. Allow working groups to form organically based on members’ interests and identified needs (vs. predetermined committee infrastructure). This allows members to take ownership of the direction of the larger network and creates buy-in of specific issues to address.	Become familiar with the CEJ principles. Collaboratively develop goals with the coalition to establish a common purpose and always keep them front and center. Never take your coalition for granted. It is hard work to keep it together, but it undeniably makes for a better network of services, clearer focus on equity, and ultimately, it builds a stronger community.