As the COVID-19 response continues, APHL has expanded and deepened its relationships with many federal agencies and programs, improving the flow of information, advocating for the importance of public health laboratories and data and laying the groundwork for potential future collaborations. Early in the pandemic response, before federal funding became available, APHL secured $700,000 from the CDC Foundation and other partners and quickly pushed those funds out to laboratories in need of staffing and procurement support. Coordination with a range of external partners has facilitated communication among commercial, clinical, epidemiological and public health laboratories, while new connections with state and local entities, foundations, universities, corporations and other non-public health organizations have helped direct funding, supplies and other support to member laboratories.