The neutron scattering community has endorsed the need for a high‐power (1–5 MW) accelerator‐driven source of neutrons for materials research. Properly configured, the accelerator could produce very short (submicrosecond) bursts of cold neutrons, said time structure offering advantages over the continuous flux from a reactor. The recent cancellation of the ANS reactor project has increased the urgency to develop a comprehensive strategy based on the best technological scenarios. Studies to date have built on the experience from ISIS (the 160 kW source in the UK), and call for a high‐current (∼100 mA peak) H−source‐linac combination injecting into one or more accumulator rings in which beam may be further accelerated. The 1–5 GeV proton beam is extracted in a single turn and brought to the target‐moderator stations. The high current, high duty factor, high brightness and high reliability required of the ion source present a very large challenge to the ion source community. The Workshop reported on here, held in Berkeley in October 1994, analyzed in detail the source requirements for proposed accelerator scenarios, the present performance capabilities of different H−source technologies, and identified necessary R&D efforts to bridge the gap. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.