This idea book addresses key concepts in two earlier Peace Corps' publications, "Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA) Manual" [ICE No. M0053], and the "Gender and Development Training Manual" [ICE No. M0054]. These previous resources were large training manuals that introduced PACA to staff and Volunteers in the context of the Peace Corps' approach to development. Since PACA now has been used in the agency for many years, this idea book was designed to give a focused history and description of PACA, while sharing excellent examples from the field that illustrate how Volunteers and their communities, host country organizations and Peace Corps projects have used these tools successfully. It is also intended to supplement exercises in the core preservice training manual "Roles of the Volunteer in Development" [ICE No. T0005]; or reinforce foundational skills during or prior to in-service training--complementing The New Project Design and Management (PDM) Training Manual [ICE No. T0107]. Although "PACA: Using Participatory Analysis for Community Action" was written for Peace Corps Volunteers, their counterparts, and staff, the gender-sensitive participatory approach can be used by any group or organization. In fact, though Peace Corps Volunteers are sometimes referred to as the primary "development workers," the impact of their work can have a wider impact if other community leaders, office managers, youth groups, administrators, educators, or NGOs also understand how to use a capacity-building framework to strengthen groups with whom Volunteers live and work. Appended are: (1) Bringing the Tools Together: What it Really Looks Like; (2) From Tools to AIDS Action; and (3) Adaptation of the Niger PACA Training Handbook. (Contains 3 figures and 12 footnotes.)