This study examines the structuring of university-community research partnerships that facilitate theoretically grounded research while also generating findings that community partners find actionable. We analyze one partnership that positions university-based researchers as members of a team working to create, maintain, and use a longitudinal multiagency data source. Through our focus on the evolution of this university-community collaboration, we show how researchers established their commitment to a mutually beneficial exchange and how data-driven action emerged when community agencies assumed ownership and prioritized action throughout the research process.