Research in nursing has grown significantly in France. The usefulness and necessity of scientific research for providing quality care and its role in the professionalization process are now accepted. The Nursing Research Association (ARSI) is a key player that has contributed, for over thirty years, to the development and recognition of research as a means to develop and acquire knowledge, and to base care on scientific data. Established in 1983, ARSI is a combination of historical circumstances, a strong focus, objectives, and encounters with people who highlighted the role of research in nursing and supported the association’s initiatives. Its key characteristic is that it was able to balance care needs, research, and to place itself within a future-oriented dimension. Today, the association is recognized nationally and internationally for the quality of its work and its contribution to the development of research and the nursing sciences. This recognition is the result of the continuous and demanding work of many volunteers who are committed to supporting the objectives of the association.