The Engaged Department Initiative (EDI) is a place-based cross-institutional collaboration located in the Grand Rapids region. Participating organizations include Michigan Campus Compact (MiCC), Grand Valley State University (GVSU), Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), and Aquinas College (AQ). This innovative ethnographic case study is focused on evaluating how well the initiative completes their goals of increasing faculty knowledge and skills, expanding students’ community engagement, fostering intra- and inter- collaborations between the three institutions of higher education, and enhancing community partnerships. The hopes of this initiative is to make a real difference in the community and to create engaged citizens. By disseminating this research, we aspire to offer recommendations for people interested in spanning boundaries and working on place-based change in their own region.