Collaborative efforts between school districts and higher education institutions to address access, retention, and achievement issues for underrepresented students have grown in recent years. Yet many of these university or school district-led efforts possess limited understanding of the community context for systemic change, and engage community stakeholders in limited ways. This article illuminates a national initiative's efforts to develop local partnerships led by community organizations to influence systemic change in K-12 and higher education institutions around postsecondary access and success. (Contains 1 note.)