The proposed project will expand capacity of local organizations to sustain ecosystem health report cards currently in development, and will design and execute a comprehensive communications and media strategy for report card dissemination and community engagement. With current support from Long Island Sound Futures Fund, and in close collaboration with local partners, UMCES is currently developing the first generation Long Island Sound Ecosystem Health Report Card, and report cards for two local embayment groups. The report cards provide a comprehensive and synthetic assessment of ecosystem health working with local partners, including University of Connecticut, Harbor Watch/Bay Watch in Fairfield/Westport area, and Friends of Hempstead Harbor. Capacity building will include intensive training for partner organizations in Science Communication, Report Card Concepts, and Data Integration. We also will encourage groups currently producing report cards to assist similar efforts in additional areas, which should improve data coverage and quality as they follow common protocols. We will increase the impact of report cards through a deliberate media dissemination campaign, with regular messaging identified by a local committee. The campaign will include print, web, and social media, and dissemination through mailouts, events, and the Internet. Local buy-in from active participants, networking, and leveraging partner connections will be key strategies for dissemination.