Over the years he has conducted numerous community-based research projects with his research methods classes. His projects have involved partnerships with neighborhood associations in Elkhart and South Bend, a local grocery cooperative, and St. Joseph County Community Corrections. David has also conducted scholarship on community based learning. His work has included an investigation of how service learning impacts community organizations and a paper, written with Gail McGuire, on the costs and benefits of different models of community-based research.