In 2008, Malawi's Ministry of Health approved community-based distribution of injectable contraceptives by Health Surveillance Assistants. This presentation details how strong family planning champions and evidence-based advocacy, combined with demand in communities, contributed to this policy change. Various USAID-funded projects have supported the development of operational guidelines and an initial pilot test in 8 districts. The policy change and pilot test help set the stage for the potential nationwide scale-up of community-based distribution.