On Research and Policy Debate

From Karen Davis, The Commonwealth Fund: “Foundations can make a difference by bridging the worlds of research and policy — encouraging research that is relevant to timely policy issues and making sure that information reaches those who can effect change.”

• Foundations can provide credibility to good information and convene diverse stakeholders around its use. This work can either provide cover for a politician or hold his or her feet to the fire to use the information for shaping policy.
• Cutting edge research can inform policy, but the key is to put the research into the right hands so that it doesn’t sit on a shelf and gather dust. While this sounds all very well and good, in my experience the goals of the policy change tend to come before the actual research — in other words, I fear the deck is stacked.
• Maybe the two most important questions in public policy are, “What works?” and “How do we know?” Philanthropic investment in finding answers to those questions fills a gap that often exists in the public sector. The result can help bridge partisan differences and lead to important policy innovations.