Safety Net Works (SNW) is a state-sponsored initiative designed to promote collaboration among local community groups with the goals of preventing youth violence and fostering youth development. Seventeen Illinois communities, including 12 in Chicago, were originally selected in 2008; each having a lead agency that coordinates a SNW coalition to provide direct services to at-risk individuals ages 10 to 24. This report introduces the premise behind the community coalition model on which Safety Net Works was conceived, summarizes the initiatives activities and services, and considers the extent to which the coalition approach employed contributed to the goals of the initiative.