778302 - Tobacco Control Coalition Building

Course Description

Tobacco Control Coalition Building is a self-paced online course designed to help coalition leaders, nonprofit organizations, public health professionals, healthcare providers, educators, and community partners build, strengthen, and sustain effective tobacco control coalitions.

Through concise, engaging learning modules, participants will develop practical skills in coalition leadership, governance, strategic planning, community engagement, communication, policy and advocacy, evaluation, and long-term sustainability. Each module combines expert instruction with real-world coalition examples, interactive scenarios, and practical tools that can be immediately applied within local communities.

Whether you are new to coalition work or an experienced leader, this course provides a foundation for building productive partnerships, advancing evidence-informed tobacco prevention strategies, and creating lasting community impact. It also serves as an ongoing resource that participants can return to throughout their coalition journey for guidance, templates, and best practices.

Course Outline

The Tobacco Control Coalition Building course is organized into 12 self-paced modules that provide practical knowledge and skills for developing, leading, and sustaining effective tobacco control coalitions.

Module 1: Foundation of Coalition Building

Explore the purpose, value, and impact of coalitions in advancing tobacco control and improving community health.

Module 2: Coalition Structure

Learn how to establish governance, define roles and responsibilities, and create effective decision-making processes.

Module 3: Membership and Recruitment

Discover strategies for recruiting, engaging, retaining, and leveraging diverse coalition partners.

Module 4: Leadership and Strategic Planning

Develop skills in creating a shared vision, setting measurable goals, and leading collaborative problem-solving efforts.

Module 5: Readiness and Change Management

Assess coalition readiness, adapt to changing priorities, and successfully navigate organizational and community transitions.

Module 6: Growth and Sustainability

Explore approaches to resource development, funding diversification, workforce development, and long-term coalition sustainability.

Module 7: Internal Communication

Strengthen collaboration through effective communication, meeting facilitation, and transparent decision-making practices.

Module 8: External Communication

Learn how to communicate effectively with community members, media, policymakers, and organizational leaders.

Module 9: Community Engagement

Build trusted cross-sector partnerships and engage diverse communities to advance shared public health goals.

Module 10: Assessment and Evidence-Based Strategies

Use local data, community assessments, and evidence-informed practices to identify priorities and guide coalition action.

Module 11: Policy and Advocacy

Build policy literacy, strengthen advocacy skills, and learn how coalitions can support evidence-informed policy change.

Module 12: Evaluation

Measure coalition health, monitor progress, evaluate outcomes, and use continuous improvement to strengthen coalition effectiveness.

Each module includes concise instructional videos, real-world coalition examples, practical tools and templates, scenario-based learning activities, and guided reflection to help participants apply concepts within their own communities.

Learner Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the role and value of coalitions in advancing tobacco prevention and community health.
• Build and sustain effective coalition governance, leadership, and decision-making structures.
• Recruit, engage, and retain diverse coalition partners to strengthen community collaboration.
• Develop strategic plans with clear goals and measurable objectives.
• Assess coalition readiness and effectively manage organizational and community change.
• Strengthen coalition sustainability through resource planning, funding diversification, and leadership development.
• Apply effective internal and external communication strategies to engage partners, community leaders, policymakers, and the public.
• Build trusted cross-sector partnerships that promote meaningful community engagement.
• Use local data and evidence-based strategies to identify priorities and guide coalition action.
• Apply policy and advocacy principles to support evidence-informed tobacco control initiatives.
• Monitor coalition performance, evaluate outcomes, and use continuous improvement strategies to strengthen coalition effectiveness.

Participants will leave the course with practical tools, templates, and real-world strategies that can be immediately applied to strengthen tobacco control coalitions and improve community health.

Notes

• This course is delivered entirely online and is self-paced, allowing participants to complete modules at their convenience.
• The course is designed for both new and experienced tobacco control coalition members and serves as an excellent onboarding resource for individuals joining a coalition for the first time.
• Participants are encouraged to bookmark this course and return to it as an ongoing reference for coalition tools, templates, case examples, and best practices.
• Each module includes concise instructional videos, real-world coalition examples, practical exercises, and downloadable resources that can be immediately applied within local communities.
• No prior experience in coalition leadership is required.

Recommendations

This course is recommended for:

• Tobacco Free Florida representatives working to advance statewide tobacco prevention efforts.
• Tobacco Free Coalition members collaborating on local tobacco-free initiatives and community policy efforts.
• Public health professionals working in tobacco prevention and cessation.
• Nonprofit executives and staff engaged in community health initiatives.
• Healthcare professionals interested in advancing tobacco-free communities.
• Educators, school administrators, and youth-serving organizations.
• Local government officials, policymakers, and community leaders.
• Community organizations seeking to strengthen partnerships and collaborative leadership.

To maximize the learning experience, participants are encouraged to complete the modules in sequence, actively reflect on how each topic applies to their own coalition, and use the downloadable tools and templates to strengthen coalition planning and implementation. Participants are also encouraged to revisit the course periodically as an ongoing resource for coalition development and continuous improvement.