Previous and present relationships between colleges and their communities are examined to determine the various forms of intervention, both social and economic, that will shape this relationship in the future. Four forms of community intervention are identified. (1) By its participation in college programs and services, the community is the primary determinant of institutional success. (2) Two-year colleges must rely on local and state support for their operating revenues. (3) College development can be influenced through community support on key financial issues. (4) College resources, staffing, and facilities depend on community-initiated legislation. These identifications lead to a series of recommendations that will need to be implemented if the challenge of community-based education is to be met successfully. (1) There must be an expansion of community involvement in the institutional decision making process. (2) Research and planning techniques must be applied to the assessment of community need for nontraditional programs. (3) Community-based pilot programs should be started in carefully selected off-campus locations. (4) Participative systems of management should be implemented in community learning centers. (5) Authority for control over decision making and policy making in the learning centers should be vested in the community. (NHM)