Use of a university-community collaboration model to frame issues and set an agenda for strengthening a community.

As severe social problems persist, analysts from various sectors suggest that policies and programs should increase their sensitivity and effectiveness through collaborations among universities, communities, and political officials. A model of collaboration is presented, and the nature and importance of such collaborations are examined. The benefits, challenges, and roles of the three collaboration partners (university, community, and government) and the three stages of the collaboration process (initiation, deliberation, and implementation) are discussed in the context of a real-world application. Recommendations for future applications are presented.