Research Partnerships

Pew has supported the development and implementation of research produced in conjunction with the decision makers who will use it, known as engagement-based research, in environmental science for nearly fifteen years. To facilitate those connections, they have also supported the work of intermediaries that are similar to research-practice partnerships. Given the William T. Grant Foundation’s shared interest in improving the use of research evidence, the Foundation and Pew will partner to develop a cross-sector network of organizations and individuals interested in building a cross-sector field focused on improving the usefulness and use of research evidence in policy and practice. The foundations will co-host two meetings and engage a consultant to explore the potential for a funder network. The first meeting, in March 2019, brought together researchers, intermediaries, and funders to discuss ways to measure the effectiveness of research-practice partnerships and other engagement-based research activities. After this meeting, a consultant will conduct a landscape scan and interviews to explore the development of a funders network focused on improving the use of research evidence. Potential priorities for the network include the development of methods and measures of the use of research evidence, grantmaking criteria to support engagement-based research, and strategies to align the network’s efforts with existing funder networks. The second joint meeting, in the fall, will bring funders together to consider next steps.