The value of approaching health improvement through collaborative models seems self-evident, especially at the community level. A review of the literature, however, reveals a number of challenges in terms of helping us understand precisely what it is that makes collaborative models effective in influencing health. The purpose of this article is to describe important elements of collaboration that state, local, and academic partners may wish to consider when developing models for health improvement. The author will provide examples of collaborative strategies that are emerging from the Turning Point: Collaborating for a New Century in Public Health initiative.