Diane Smith sets out the framework for the Indigenous Community Governance research project on Understanding, Building and Sustaining Effective Governance in Rural, Remote and Urban Indigenous Communities, and discusses issues inherent in participatory research, and the dissemination and application of research findings within Indigenous and policy arenas.

The project is being undertaken at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, at ANU, and is funded by an ARC grant with support from Reconciliation Australia, the project's industry partner. Additional sponsorship is provided by the Northern Territory and Western Australian Governments, the Federal Government, and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre.