Research impact activities should be guided by the “end-user” and intended benefit our communities can receive from scientific findings. Understanding key audiences’ motivations, routines, and preferences are critical for developing effective outreach initiatives. The wide variety of institutional and policy contexts require dedicated attention to diverse settings. There is a need to map strategies onto data-driven approaches in ways that follow a clear logical flow for reaching key audiences, demonstrating value, and achieving the application of evidence in varied policy domains and contexts.

There are multiple audiences that are involved in the research ecosystem with whom to communicate. Not only does this include policymakers, this also routinely involves collaborating with scholars, intermediaries, and funders, each of whom may view the outcomes of an initiative from a unique vantage. And while each of these audiences offer valuable advice on initiatives, the appeal of routine outputs and fashy deliverables may not achieve intended impact without a clear logical flow of how evidence will be applied, by whom, and under what circumstances.

We start by understanding the goals and needs of key decision makers within the relevant institutional contexts. Then we define impact goals and more proximal indicators of success within your outreach initiative. After we identify these specific objectives, we create a customized strategy for achieving an appropriate engagement and evaluation monitoring system that is aligned with funders’ goals and expectations alongside participants’ motivations and incentives.

We will create a custom scope of work for you, which may complement other services such as engaging policymakers, institutionalizing research capacity, developing a evidence synthesis and dissemination plan, and creating an evaluation plan.