Abstract
BACKGROUND: Coalitions involving both healthcare organizations and community organizations, are a way of providing community support to patients. However, the impact of these collaborations and partner satisfaction can be hard to measure without the use of a theoretical framework to guide progress. METHODS: In January 2023 we established the BEAT-C coalition, guided by the Community Coalition Action Theory (CCAT), to improve clinical-community linkages for addressing non-medical needs among individuals affected by cancer in the Washington, D.C. region. To create broad representation, we invited organizations focused on faith, older adults, cancer support, health promotion, healthy food access, and community health to join. The coalition dedicated significant effort at the outset to establish trust, cultivate relationships, and define shared values, mission, goals, and objectives. To assess coalition functioning, we administered a modified version of the Coalition Self-Assessment Survey (CSAS) in December 2023. RESULTS: Sixteen individuals representing 10 organizations completed the adapted CSAS. Respondents generally responded positively regarding the coalition and made decisions primarily through discussion and agreement (75.0%). Respondents noted respect for leadership (81.3%) and respect for and from fellow coalition members (100.0%). While 56.3% reported meaningful action through the coalition, 31.3% thought there could be more meaningful action. Qualitative feedback mirrored these findings: participants positively regarded the coalition’s responsiveness and noted activities occurring through partnerships developed from the coalition, but some respondents emphasized a desire to act more swiftly. CONCLUSION: Our research described facilitators and barriers to early implementation of a theory-driven collaborative coalition to enhance cancer survivor support. Through the continued efforts of the coalition and increased community capacity building, the multi-disciplinary efforts of the coalition have potential to address the needs of cancer survivors. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-025-12883-7.