State Health Agencies play a critical role in the Nation's efforts for health promotion and disease prevention. This role is especially critical in efforts to reduce the burden of CVD through community-based programs. Resources SHAs need to facilitate implementation of community-based CVD prevention programs fall into three general categories: (a) Adequate time to plan, carry out and evaluate, (b) Financial resources to support staff, community organization and demonstration programs, and (c) Personnel with requisite technical expertise, skills and technological resources. Six critical activities for building state-level CVD program capacity include: (1) Forming a statewide CVD oversight committee, (2) Developing a state CVD plan, (3) Developing quality assurance standards and guidelines, (4) Developing new paradigms of community assessment and evaluation, (5) Planning for institutionalization, and (6) Translation of research to application. SHA roles vary from direct service delivery to serving as a linking agent, transferring information and resources and coordinating efforts between agencies.