The c2d program focuses on the formation of low-mass stars in nearby (within about 300 pc) clouds. It covers the range of star formation from the earliest, starless cores up to stars about 10 million years old. In addition to targeting about 90 known compact cores, we have surveyed with IRAC and MIPS (3.6 to 160 micron) the entire areas of five of the nearest large molecular clouds for new candidate protostars and substellar objects. We have also observed about 190 weak-line T Tauri stars, with ages up to about 10 Myr, probing the evolution of the circumstellar dust, the raw material for planetary cores. Spectroscopy with IRS of new objects found in the surveys and of a select group of known objects is adding vital information on the evolution of chemical and physical conditions in the disks and envelopes.