This paper discusses the benefits of such networking projects as the Northern Rockies Consortium for Higher Education, which was founded as a non-profit corporation four years ago to encourage faculty development and instructional development in the four state region of Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, and describes the development of this consortium. Four major lessons learned during that time are summarized as strategies: (1) the operation should be diversified to provide a wide variety of services and possibilities to the members of the association; (2) the benefits should be spread to make sure each school receives a fair share of the resources of the operation; (3) insure that each member has a mutual investment; and (4) respect the existing organization structure by working within the traditional department and college systems. Four reference sources are listed. (CHC)