Program: Common Destiny Alliance Contact(s): Willis D. Hawley, Organizer: (301) 405-2341 Purpose: To improve racial and ethnic relations and create educational equity The Common Destiny Alliance (CODA) was founded in 1991 at the University of Maryland's College of Education in an attempt to bring research to bear on the improvement of race relations in America. A consortium of 30 national organizations and numerous scholars committed to improving race relations and educational equity, CODA believes that the use of research to identify effective educational practices facilitates individual and organizational change. These members include: the Children's Defense Fund, the National Council of La Raza and the American Association for Higher Education. CODA serves the nation through its four sets of activities: 1.) linking and researching expertise to effective practice, 2.) facilitating the pursuit of the common goals shared by alliance members, 3.) enhancing the organizational capacity of CODA partners to serve their constituencies, and 4.) connecting information, research, and expertise with those who require assistance. CODA compiles resources from partner organizations, businesses, educators and interested individuals. They collect research, abstracts of selected reports, descriptions of effective practices and how to emulate them, inventories of exemplary materials and sources of expertise. In this way, CODA seeks to enhance the capacity of participating organizations and broaden the pool of groups and individuals who are assisted by their efforts.