This paper focuses on the results and lessons of the CARE initiative. With support from the Learn and Serve America program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, six California universities—California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; California State University, Fresno; Humboldt State University; San Francisco State University; University of California, Berkeley; and University of San Diego—received two-year grants to serve as lead institutions with CARE. Each developed service and service-learning projects themselves and engaged other colleges and universities in their local area in related efforts. Together these campuses collaborated with more than 300 community organizations, 105 of which completed CARE evaluation surveys. Local partners and campus coordinators agreed that the initiative succeeded in increasing the capacity of both nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions to serve their communities during the economic downturn. While each lead institution took a distinctive approach, they all reflected CARE’s overall goal of reducing poverty and enhancing economic opportunity through community building, microfinance, and social entrepreneurship
