Experiments or projects are central to all research endeavors, and LTER sites encompass many. Research projects are commonly documented at the site-level using various methods in order to maintain records for annual reporting, field site permissions, coordination of research activities in space and time, and for linking datasets and other products to individuals. A centralized project database has two benefits: first, it provides a mechanism for individual sites to manage their research activities without programming, and secondly, it provides a common search interface across all sites to facilitate cross-site collaboration. A centralized project database was recently established at the Network office using an architecture which allows individual LTER sites to access information without any programming effort. The network-adopted Ecological Metadata Language, was used as the basis for schema for database storage and for information exchange via web services. A new and very successful model of network wide tool development was established whereby a group of information managers from different LTER sites met for a block of time to create code for this project. This approach highlights a very effective bottom-up model which utilizes both site and and LNO experts to rapidly develop useful software.