Partnering for Impact: How research centers can build ecosystems that last
In an era of rising expectations for publicly funded research, there’s a powerful opportunity for research centers: not just to fund projects, but to transform how research is done, translated, and applied — ensuring that it delivers lasting value to society.
The Challenge
Many institutions support impressive, cutting-edge research — but still struggle with a familiar set of questions:
How do we ensure that our work gets used outside of academia?
What does it take to build partnerships that last beyond a grant cycle?
How can we equip faculty and students to become real-world changemakers?
The answer lies not just in new tools, but in new mindsets, methods, and models — starting with how partnerships are built and supported from the ground up.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Approach that works
Research centers need support in embedding a partner-centered, systems thinking approach across four levels
Individual Level by training faculty and students in the foundations of research translation and collaborative partnership design — equipping them with the mindset and skills to co-create research that is relevant, contextual, and usable.
Project Level by offering hands-on support to awardees, helping them design and manage partnerships across the research lifecycle, focusing on sustainability, shared ownership, and long-term impact.
Institutional Level by working with research centers to cultivate an internal culture of connection — one that encourages peer mentorship, shared learning, and the emergence of new collaborations. This sets the stage for stronger proposals, better outcomes, and more inclusive impact.
Societal Level to achieve the goal of translating academic insight into actionable, real-world change.
How its done: Three Core Principles
Who: We bring the right people to the table — academic, community, government, and industry voices — from the start.
How: We build trust-based partnerships through collaborative processes and co-creation.
Why: We design for long-term use and practical application, not just publication.
The Results We’ve Seen
Stronger Research Capacity: Researchers gain real-world tools for designing, funding, and scaling impact-oriented projects.
More Connected Ecosystems: Institutions build internal infrastructure for partnership support, shared learning, and external collaboration.
Tangible, Scalable Solutions: Projects lead to real outcomes — from policy shifts to new ventures.
Lasting Models: Co-design, mentorship, and embedded impact practices lay the groundwork for sustained growth beyond initial funding.
Relevant Research: Projects stay grounded in the needs of communities and stakeholders, increasing uptake and long-term value.
Key Takeaway
When research centers lead with partnership and systems thinking, they don’t just generate knowledge — they build movements of change.