This paper shares several key observations derived from the history and difficulty of coordinating services in past initiatives. First, service coordination that appropriately serves as a means to an end (improved results for children and families, in the case of Promise Neighborhoods) should flow from a strong, shared sense of the results to be achieved. Second, this requires an agreed upon set of results developed through a collaborative process that recognizes a shared responsibility and accountability. Third, neighborhoods by themselves are unlikely to be able to achieve results in isolation, without the support and involvement of state and local government and the commitment for parallel work related to policy and resource creation. Finally, there should be an agreement about both the capacity required of communities that undertake this work as well as the support needed by communities to be successful.