The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations' tobacco control network, Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment and Leadership (APPEAL), Oakland, Calif., worked from 2000 to 2003 to strengthen its organizational capacity and leadership.

The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations is a national association dedicated to improving the health status and health care access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders within the United States. APPEAL, composed of organizations and individuals, seeks to prevent tobacco use among the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Through APPEAL, the association has been involved in tobacco control work since 1994.

Key Results:

• APPEAL hired a deputy project director, who primarily supported staff working on national network development, technical assistance and training and a national youth leadership program. This enabled the project director to focus on organizational issues, promote APPEAL and develop its leadership.
• APPEAL staff developed individual professional development plans and attended training programs.
• APPEAL convened Continuing the Journey—A Transition Seminar to share experiences in tobacco control efforts among leadership fellows (trained under the RWJF-funded APPEAL Leadership Program, see Program Results on ID# 031989), articulate a vision for the future and establish goals for local tobacco control projects.
• APPEAL conducted strategic planning activities, which resulted in a decision to transition into an independent organization.
• APPEAL established a Transition Team to facilitate its transition into an independent organization.