In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) approached the Institute on Aging (IOA) at Portland State University (PSU) as a potential collaborator in its Global Age-Friendly Cities Project, asking if we would be willing to collect data concerning Portland’s age friendliness. The invitation was extended thanks to Portland’s reputation for good urban planning and a recommendation by Dr. Martha Pelaez of the Pan American Health Organization, based on the IOA’s interest in global aging issues and our research capacity. Despite the lack of funding and the compressed timeline of the project, we were excited to have this opportunity to build on our previous work, bring together the disciplines of planning and gerontology, honor PSU’s motto, “Let Knowledge Serve the City,” and improve our city for today’s and future generations. A total of 33 cities in 22 countries around the world participated in the original project, of which Portland was the only U.S. city (New York City later joined). WHO’s goal for the study was to identify concrete indicators of an age-friendly city and produce a practical guide to stimulate and guide advocacy, community development, and policy change to make urban communities around the world age friendly. The Portland study involved conducting eight focus groups: three with older adults, one with informal caregivers of older adults, and four with service providers and businesses (public, private, and nonprofit) within Portland’s city limits. The project was guided by a team of advisors, including older adults and representatives from AARP Oregon and other public, private, nonprofit, and university organizations. The questions posed in the focus groups were aimed at gaining a better understanding of the everyday experiences of older adults with respect to features that were age friendly, features that represented barriers to age friendliness, and suggestions for improvement in eight topic areas focused on the physical and the social environment. Findings from the Portland study were published in 2007 in Portland’s Final Report and a Summary of Findings, which was printed with support from AARP. These findings, along with the results from each of the other cities, were used in crafting WHO’s Global Age-friendly Cities Guide and have been disseminated locally, nationally, and internationally. The findings confirmed the importance to older people of accessible transportation, outdoor spaces, and buildings, as well as the need for accessible and affordable housing. The findings also highlighted the importance of fostering the involvement of older people as active participants in society, overcoming ageism, and providing greater opportunities for civic participation and employment.