The Community Collaboration Model Project was born out of the belief that in changing times, providing access to appropriate tools, resources and information would enable individuals living in rural and northern communities to engage in informed and meaningful dialogue and decision-making with other communities in their region, with local community serving organizations and with governments. The Project was intended to be a process for developing linkages among project partners, and a means for exploring alternate governing relationships and new forms of governance. The overall goal of the project was to design and facilitate a multi-community, multi-agency cooperative approach for initiating joint planning and project development activities for regional social, environmental and economic community development. Objectives included facilitating processes for communities, governments and academic institutions to work together collaboratively and looking at ways for governments to better serve rural and northern communities.