The origin of the impetus to undertake the community planning process can vary across communities. In some communities, citizens have voiced their concerns about specific health concerns while in other communities, the local health department, community hospital, university, community leader or another community agency has taken the initiative. Whether interest originates in the community or an agency, it is important to ensure that organizational resources are available and that the community is ready to undertake the process. The process of building a coalition and gaining commitments among community organizations and residents first necessitates that one target and secure commitments from an existing group to provide a foundation for building a structure to carry out the community planning process. While it is sometimes possible to start building a coalition and gain commitments among identified stakeholders and partners through a very general community-wide event (e.g., town hall meeting, media events, or first kick-off community meeting) it may be beneficial to target and secure initial commitments that may include the following:

• A lead agency or existing community group to sponsor the process
• Agencies or organizations to provide support and resources
• Support from key and political leaders

The lead agency should hold orientation meetings and one-on-one discussions with key people to start to build commitments, inform partners of the community planning process, and gain their support. These commitments should include letters that specify the intentions and reasons for the initiative, the nature of the support, and the willingness to maintain community ownership and involvement in the process. State the goals and objectives of the initiative and how this focus complements theirs. Invite participation in the planning process by identifying shared goals, and ask for their involvement in planning and implementing the community-wide initiative.

Gaining further commitments and mobilizing a broad and diverse group of stakeholders and community residents requires good communication and information. The general public, specific groups and organizations, and selected individuals need to be informed and educated about commencing and becoming involved in the community-wide initiative. A general community-wide event such as a town hall meeting or kick-off community meeting provides an opportunity to mobilize a broad-based group of stakeholders, increases awareness about obesity and overweight within the community, and gains commitments to become actively involved in the process.

The following supplemental materials can be tailored for your community-wide town hall or kick-off meeting to help you get started:

Obesity Awareness and Action PowerPoint presentation

Agency commitment letter