Numerous studies have shown that significant health disparities persist among many underserved racial and ethnic population, making health equity an elusive goal.1-4 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI),5 represent a distinct racial minority population disproportionately affected by poverty,6 chronic disease,7-9 mortality,10 and inadequate housing and polluting industries.11 The overarching goal of this Planning Grant is to create the first National Center for Pacific Islander Wellness (NCPIW) using a ?bottoms up? approach of working with Pacific Islander (PI) communities through a trusted source (PI faith-based institutions) to accelerate PI community-centered approaches to improve the lives of Pacific people. Specifically the planning grant will bring together PI faith-based groups to achieve three specific aims:

Aim 1: To establish a network of PI faith-based community partnerships from across 9 states?Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Utah and Nevada, reaching at least 200,000 Pacific peoples.

Aim 2: Conduct focus group meetings with PI faith-based community leaders to identify and systematically document community needs and discuss new evidence-based data on PI health disparities.

Aim 3: To prioritize key areas for evidence-based programs and culturally appropriate wellness activities, and identify the approaches for delivery and resources essential to achieving the goals of the NCPIW.

The proposed NCPIW approach will capitalize on over 15 years of research and community experience by the Principal Lead, a Pacific Islander social demographer and community advocate. The NCPIW framework builds on the ?unified model? that was adapted in the 2012 Pacific Islander Health Study by the Principal Lead and provides an expansive reach of PI communities. Motivated by a genuine interest in the well-being of this underserved population the NCPIW approach will help forge strong relationships directly with PI communities and create a new system for active communication, monitoring and dissemination of culturally appropriate prevention interventions for PI community progress.