ABSTRACT
The concept of community building is part of a broader perspective of community empowerment and social change that recently has become an important component of public health initiatives across the country (Walter, 2002). Public health organizations, private foundations, and universities have formed partnerships to build the capacity of community organizations to engage in structured research and community-building activities to improve health and social conditions. Although Latino communities, particularly Mexican-American communities, have a strong history of establishing mutual aid, labor, and immigration organizations (Orozco, 1992–1993) that have provided a solid foundation for current Latino community organizations, new state and federal demands for accountability have limited the ability of Latino-based organizations to compete for federal or state support for local programming. The new accountability established by private foundations and state and federal institutes includes requirements for organizations to develop community coalitions, partnerships, and evaluation for sustained funding in education, health, and urban development. Numerous Latino community organizations and grassroots movements throughout the country have not been successful at competing for these funds because of the lack of community and organizational infrastructure to develop competitive proposals, to conduct community needs assessments and program evaluations, and to build sustainable community coalitions. Without the ability to comply with these new requirements, public health needs and concerns in Latino communities remain unaddressed. Researchers with community-based experience are instrumental in developing the capacity of these organizations in the skills needed to apply for funds to establish the needed social programs in their communities. They have an important role to play in relationship to the development of community knowledge and skills to assist organizations to become conversant and successful in the politics of funding.
