現代社區組織要協助政府或地方解決各類的社區問題或找出地方發展的方向，社區組織是否具備足夠的能量或能力攸關社區的發展。因此，近年來對地方社區組織的培力，開始為政府、民間及學界所重視，期待藉著各種不同的教學、觀摩、方案、旗艦社區計畫，讓社區組織的幹部培力增能。社區因具備的能力不同，因此將發展程度不同的社區分級培力，是常被嘗試採用的方法。對發展較優勢的社區，希望它們能繼續保持發展的動能；對剛開始發展的社區提供組織發展的技術；對於未發展或發展意願低的社區，則讓社區專家介入帶領或輔導；或透過旗艦社區讓發展不同的社區共同學習。本論文將討論社區培力、社區能量建構、社區發展的意義、及三者之間的關係、社區培力的利益與風險、分級培力及研究者過去的培力經驗與發現。

Since 1960's the community development was the theme policy for the central government in Taiwan. Thousands of neighborhood communities were established. For a very long periods of time community was just a tool for election and governance. Majority of community programs, such as enhance community infrastructure, promote production for better social welfare, and cultivate better resident's community identity, were implemented in a top-down fashion. Among over 6000 community organizations only about 12% of the community were considered to be well established. Majority of the community were either not been well developed or poorly developed. Seventy percent of the community budgets were sponsored by the local government. The resources for implement programs were varied among communities. In the past well established community organizations tend to get more chance to be empowered than those were not may account for the gaps. In recent year the community empowered program were sponsored by many local governments. The capacity building for ＂weak community＂ was especially appealed by many community experts. There were many community-based programs sponsored by different section of central or local government. Well established communities are more likely sponsored. On one hand, community can get diversity empowerment from different resources. On the other hand, it also widened the gaps between communities with different level of capacity. Giving many fail experiences of top-down helping and misunderstanding the meaning of empowerment, in this paper the essence of community empowerment were restated. The benefits and risks of community empowerment were discussed as a reminder to avoid creating ＂the squeaky wheel get the oil＂ phenomenon. The individualized empowerment program was suggested by many community experts. The capacity building program can be designed according to the level of community development. At the last the community empowerment programs sponsored by central and local government in recent year were also discussed.