The Impact Initiative

Our mission is to increase the uptake and impact of research from two major research programmes jointly funded by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Department for International Development (DFID): the Joint Fund for Poverty Alleviation Research and the Raising Learning Outcomes in Education Systems Research Programme. [read more] 

The Impact Initiative 

Explore the research

Education
Teaching and learning, poverty, gender, disability

RLO
Children & Young People
Health, education, protection, livelihoods
Gender
Health, education, social norms, power, rights
Governance
Participation, accountability, citizenship, rights
Health
Infectious diseases, NCDs, injury, maternal health, nutrition
Livelihoods
Making a living, securing basic necessities
Security
Development and conflict contexts, local governance, religion, gender
Urban/Rural
Issues specific to urban and rural contexts, migration, environment, economics

Track the impact

Testing and showcasing ways that research can bring about change

Reforming Higher Education Teaching Practices in Africa

Innovative research is enabling changes to teaching practices that support the development of students’ critical thinking skills in sub-Saharan Africa.

Financial Entrapment of Street Vendors in Colombia

The Mayor of Cali has incorporated a financial policy to enable street vendors to borrow money quickly and reasonably, and build a sustainable livelihood.

Providing Alternatives to Fossil Fuels in Nepal

Research in Nepal shows how indigenous oil seed plants can be an alternative, more environmentally friendly energy source than fossil fuels.
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Download the resources

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Raising learning outcomes in diverse Indian contexts

Improving learning outcomes in India requires a rethinking of educational strategies. While improvements in physical access to schools are welcome, improving learning outcomes requires different stakeholders to adapt teaching content and methods to local contexts.

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The Power of Partnerships (digital report)

A digital report that explores the key qualities that may go towards determining the success of research-policy partnerships and those seeking to influence them.

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Women and conflict

Research evidence explores social norms, economic empowerment and women’s political participation in fragile and conflict-affected states including Jordan, Pakistan and Somaliland.
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Catch up on the news

Working in partnership with multiple stakeholders on disability and inclusive education policy processes
This webinar will explore the opportunities and challenges of engaging research with multiple stakeholders and with national/international policy processes. We will reflect on the Impact Initiative’s work with multiple stakeholders concerned with disability and inclusive education and create a space for the sharing of other experiences of working with evidence informed policy discussions.
COVID 19: Thinking differently about education research impact
In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, researchers are faced with the challenge of adapting their plans for achieving changes in policy and practice through new evidence. A webinar hosted by the Impact Initiative set out to explore how researchers may need to think differently about impact for education policy and practice, and what kind of support they might need from funders and policy actors.
Policy and research: It’s the relationships stupid
The evidence community is finally taking the relational and societal aspects of getting evidence into use seriously. James Georgalakis asks if donors, researchers, elected officials and policy professionals are ready to create research-policy partnerships that can deal with these social realities. Relationships should be built on trust, an understanding of our differences and where the sweet spot for collaboration exists.
Learning from the Joint Fund: share your views!
For 15 years, the Joint Fund has commissioned high-quality research on poverty alleviation, across a broad range of topics and methodologies. With the Joint Fund now coming to an end, DFID and ESRC have commissioned an evaluation with a strong learning dimension, to identify key lessons to be passed on to current and future funds of similar scope, in particular the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
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Access support

The Impact Initiative exists to connect policy makers and practitioners with the world class social science research supported by the ESRC-DFID Strategic Partnership. We seek to identify research synergies and support grant holders from the Joint Fund for Poverty Alleviation or Raising Learning Outcomes in Education Systems Research Programme to exploit influencing and engagement opportunities, and facilitate learning. Discover how to maximise the impact of your project.

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Motorcycles and food security in African 'secondary cities'

Researchers, civil society groups, and policymakers, explored policy opportunities to support motorcycle taxi transport in addressing urban food security challenges.

Migrants provide solutions for urban sustainability

Researchers and policymakers from city and national planning agencies discussed the insights and challenges faced by migrants in rapidly growing cities in Bangladesh.