Grantmakers in Health's "Views from the Field" forum has published an article showcasing lessons from AcademyHealth’s work titled, "Measuring and Communicating Impact: How Philanthropy Can Show and Tell Its Impact to Rally the Public in Defense of Research." In light of recent changes to federal research funding, it is crucial for philanthropy to effectively measure and communicate the impact of research to policymakers and the public.
With cuts affecting national health research institutes and datasets essential to improve public health, our article provides a timely discussion on making research impact more evident. We share insights and practical strategies developed over a decade of collaboration with grantmakers and research grantees, which can help research funders assess and communicate the value of their work, such as:
- It is possible to co-develop practical impact assessment approaches to measure real-time signals of research impact that both align with a funder’s priorities and minimize grantee burden.
- Both quantitative and qualitative data are needed to capture research impact, particularly given the diversity of research funding awards in budget, duration, aim, and audience.
- Especially for funders with larger grantmaking programs, a cloud-based platform that enables collection, aggregation, and visualization of impact information can be particularly useful.
- For maximum effectiveness, impact frameworks should be customized to reflect the research funder’s mission, strategic plan, and portfolio objectives—and periodically undergo refinement to account for evolving strategies and data availability.
The article includes case studies and examples illustrating how to collaborate effectively with grantee partners, develop impact measurement frameworks, and use impactful storytelling to engage various audiences. These strategies can help reinforce the essential role of evidence-based research in shaping policy and improving public and population health.
The full article is available now in the Grantmakers in Health "Views from the Field" column. Read it here.