The "Partnering to Advance Research And Drive Innovation on Sustainability and the Environment" (PARADISE) project addresses the unique challenges faced by physically isolated communities, or "islanded communities," in building collaborative partnerships and enhancing research capacity. These communities, represented by Hawai‘i Pacific University, Paul Smith’s College (in the Adirondacks, NY), and the University of the Virgin Islands, are on the front lines of critical environmental issues impacting public health, economic development, and biodiversity loss. PARADISE will strengthen the ability of these institutions to conduct innovative research and form meaningful collaborations despite their geographic isolation. By increasing research and development capacity, these colleges and universities will contribute to solving pressing environmental problems and supporting sustainable economic growth in their regions. This project enhances research capacity and fosters collaboration among geographically isolated institutions, often referred to as “islanded institutions,” through targeted investment and strategic initiatives. These communities face physical isolation and significant environmental challenges affecting public health, economic development, and biodiversity. The project cultivates partnerships focused on environmental and sustainability innovation across three institutions: Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU), the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), and Paul Smith’s College (PSC). PARADISE will enable the cohort to make strategic investments in internal capacity, facilitate collaborative exchanges, and establish a professional learning network, thereby fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. The goals of PARADISE include strengthening administrative infrastructure, providing incentives for faculty and student research, and developing training resources to enhance collaboration between academia and industry. Each institution will tailor its approach to align with its unique strengths and challenges. HPU will enhance tech transfer capabilities and align research with industry needs in environmental engineering. PSC will restructure research administration to support advancements in natural resource conservation and forestry. UVI will establish roles to foster community-industry relations and address environmental legacies from past industrial activities. By leveraging their environmental expertise, cultural connections, and diverse resources, the PARADISE partnership will address environmental challenges within islanded communities, promote economic growth, and integrate indigenous perspectives into national research agendas. This holistic approach enhances the research capacities of the partnering institutions, enabling them to provide valuable insights and solutions to pressing environmental issues at both regional and national levels. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.