The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) needs to develop efficient ways to broadly implement evidence based practices and foster a learning organization culture that systematically and continuously applies research to improve VA healthcare. Recognizing this need, VHA Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) invited applications in the fall of 2003 for collaboration HSR&D investigators and Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) on a) implementing and evaluating an evidenced-based interventions or b) undergoing and evaluating an organizational or structural change to transform the VISN in to a learning organization that can efficiently implement evidence-based practices. Collaborations are intended to help improve clinical services locally within participating VISNs and provide templates for expanding successful changes nationwide.