Collaboratory

Impact Innovations Award

Collaboratory is a pioneering software platform designed to help higher education institutions track, measure, and communicate the societal impact of their research and community engagement efforts.  Originally developed at the University of North Carolina Greensboro and commercialized in 2014, Collaboratory has grown into a nationally recognized system supporting more than 60 institutions in capturing thousands of community-engaged initiatives.

By systematically documenting partnerships between campuses and communities, Collaboratory provides institutions with the data needed to align engagement activities with strategic priorities, enhance impact assessment, and foster meaningful, lasting relationships. To date, Collaboratory has facilitated the tracking of over 8,300 community initiatives involving more than 11,000 organizations, 2,100 faculty and staff, and 2,800 course sections.

Collaboratory’s innovative approach to data collection and accessibility supports institutions in integrating community engagement into faculty research, teaching, and institutional policies. Its efforts have directly contributed to advancements in promotion and tenure reform, institutional identity, and alignment with national frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) Broader Impacts criteria. Additionally, Collaboratory provides the nation’s largest open-access dataset on campus-community partnerships, fostering national research on engagement trends and best practices.

By transforming engagement data into actionable insights, Collaboratory is setting a new standard for institutional accountability and the long-term sustainability of community-university partnerships, ensuring that higher education remains a driving force for societal good.

Kristin Medlin, as co-founder and director of research and development, oversees Collaboratory’s efforts that support, promote, and enhance the field of study related to community engagement and socially effective impact across all sectors. Kristin holds masters degrees from UNC Greensboro both in Public Affairs and in Educational Research, Assessment, and Evaluation.

Lauren Wedling works to ensure that all institutions successfully implement and utilize Collaboratory software to tell their story of community engagement. Lauren earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education from Indiana University Bloomington, with a focus on urban education.