Community-based adaptation (CBA) has emerged as an important component of the global response to climate change. Numerous tools have been developed to support communities to adapt, and to guide the agencies that they work with. Despite the proliferation of CBA tools, a number of critical challenges exist. For example, CBA tools often overlap, and there is confusion regarding when and how the tools should be applied. There is a lack of tools that communicate climate information in locally relevant ways; support the application of resilience as a unifying framework; support monitoring and evaluation of CBA; and provide technical guidance on the implementation of locally appropriate adaptation options. Additionally, guidance is needed to move from community-led vulnerability assessments to adaptation actions. This article explores these challenges, offers guidance on tool selection, tailoring, and development, and provides lessons learned based on the results from a multiyear CBA program by a consortium of organizations in Vanuatu. These lessons are relevant to the development and implementation of CBA activities globally.