Effective mapping to engage partners is an ambitious undertaking that involves communicating on a regular basis, providing feedback, and being useful in other ways. In 2002 OCHRC began its efforts in this area by funding three regional initiatives to describe institutions working on child health and nutrition research in their regions, to identify contact persons and contact details, to identify existing networks of institutions, and to describe the type of work they undertake and their future plans. Further activities to promote development of web-based networks are anticipated in 2005.