The Child, Youth, and Family Consortium at the University of Minnesota was convened to help policymakers develop relevant public policy that is well-grounded in research and theory. The Consortium has the mission of bringing together varied competencies of the University and vital resources of Minnesota's communities to enhance the ability of individuals and organizations to address health, education, and social policy concerns in ways that improve the well-being of Minnesota children, youth, and families. This paper presents background information on the Consortium and its mission, and a pilot model for information dissemination. The paper further describes some of the Consortium's activities as well as challenges encountered. The paper highlights the Consortium's activities, including facilitating connections with intercollegiate centers and departments conducting work in early childhood, working with community groups, and formalizing their relationship with the state department of education. It is noted that the Consortium takes a two-pronged approach to policy education: reactive work occurs during the legislative session, during which a field policy educator provides information, recommends names of expert witnesses, and builds relationships with key legislators; proactive work includes hosting joint policy forums, supporting University-site efforts at generating policy-relevant information, working with the Consortium Advisory Council, and developing the Web site. The paper then outlines challenges facing the Consortium, including maintaining a balance between reactive and proactive work, and balancing the varied interests of the partners and the Consortium. The paper concludes by asserting that the collaborative model of disseminating policy-relevant information to state and local policymakers is effective and that the Consortium is now recognized as a conduit to the University and a reliable source of information. (KB)