There is a need to train professionals across disciplines to work collaboratively on program development and implementation to address the caregiving issues prevalent in our aging society. The North Carolina State University Departments of Social Work and Family and Consumer Sciences provided a training opportunity for social workers and county extension educators. The goals of the "Institute" were to provide a continuing education program that cultivated partnerships to develop and implement innovative local programming for older adults and their families. The program was also intended to increase the partnership capacity in the involved counties. This paper describes and evaluates the continuing education program and the potential of this training model for community partnership-building in the service of elders and families. (Contains 4 tables.)