Saskatchewan, Canada, is a province with strong traditions of volunteerism and innovation. In 2001, 36 per cent of its 1 million population was rural, though this was significantly lower than in 1951 when it was 70 per cent (Statistics Canada 2005). Saskatchewan is experiencing higher population growth in urban than in rural regions. Many rural communities are developing methods to attract migrants and retain their current population by taking advantage of the current resource booms and tourism. Rural programs aimed at education for sustainable development (ESD) are typically more integrated and smaller in scale than those in urban centres. The smaller-scale ESD in rural communities provides a greater capability to innovate more rapidly, while urban centres have entrenched political and market interests, regulatory boundaries and economic barriers to change. Using an inclusive and transparent structure, the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) for ESD in Saskatchewan focuses heavily on cooperation between rural and urban communities. Integrative strategies, with objectives spanning both rural and urban areas, are advanced using a nontraditional, nonhierarchical governance model. A flexible structure gives participants the freedom to explore research topics and activities of interest originally within six ESD theme areas collectively identified. The governance model recognises that some centralised decision-making is important, but that these mechanisms must be responsive to members in a flexible way. (Contains 2 figures, 1 table and 1 note.)