The Research-Practice Linkages Project sought to identify the knowledge base supporting community leadership development (CLD) programs of the Cooperative Extension Service and to determine linkages between Extension programs and CLD research. A mail questionnaire was completed by 492 Extension staff involved in CLD programs in 18 states and 42 managers of private firms acting as CLD program providers or consultants. The results revealed no consensus in defining leadership or community leadership. Extension workers seemed to rely greatly on experience rather than research-related sources of knowledge. Training in CLD programs focused on general leadership skills rather than the special requirements of community leadership. There was little support for many of the suggested means for strengthening research-practice linkages. There was moderate to strong support for a proposed model of CLD program development, implementation, and evaluation that was constructed from the literature on adult education and Extension education. This report contains 60 references, 28 data tables, and recommendations for future CLD Extension practice. Appendices contain the survey instruments and describe the research methodology. (SV)