This paper discusses the different roles of researchers, urban authorities and civil society groups in developing partnerships that address both environmental management and development. It draws on discussions at a workshop which brought together teams from six countries involved in research on this theme. It begins by describing the Local Agenda 21 and stakeholder partnerships developed in Jinja, Uganda and then discusses the experiences of the different teams in developing partnerships. The paper highlights how much the local context and broader political settings influence the set of roles the research teams take on, and ends with recommendations directed at urban authorities, researchers and civil society leaders.