Virtually everywhere, there is governmental interest in developing and using science and technology as a tool for economic development and other public purposes. States within the United States look to advance vis-à-vis other states, just as nations seek to rise in competitiveness. What institutional mechanisms work? What research and other strategies are effective? The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) represents an important model that appears successful. During the 1990s, key business executives, university presidents, and state government forged a research partnership – GRA. A non-profit entity, GRA played a catalytic role in getting state government, industry, and universities in a specific region to work in concert to hire scientific luminaries, attract federal research funds, and translate research into economic development. The dynamics of this catalytic entity are discussed using a life-cycle model of organizational development.