KM at York’s strong 2009 finish bodes well for 2010
On December 23, 2009, the KM Unit at York University was awarded two CIHR grants in their Meetings, Planning, and Dissemination Grant competition. One grant partners York University’s Lamarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution with Kinark Child and Family Services and the York Region Children’s Aid Society. David Phipps from ResearchImpact (York University) and Sandra Cunning (Clinical Director, Research & Evaluation, Kinark Child and Family Services), along with researchers from the Lamarsh Centre were co-investigators on the application. We were awarded $39,950 for a grant titled “Using social networking to enable KT collaboration and dissemination”.
The grant will use the Kinark/Lamarsh/CAS partnership project on teen pregnancy and teen mothers in York Region to pilot social media tools provided by O3 (see our blog on October 13) as a tool for collaboration and dissemination. Based on learnings in this pilot initiative, York’s KM Unit will roll out these social media support services to other large-scale research and KM projects. The grant was ranked first in Canada in this competition. One reviewer commented, “Rationale very strong for need to share knowledge regarding available tools, particularly given the IT interests of the next generation.”
We are looking forward to working with our partners in York Region to use these tools to increase the sharing of research information to help our partners make informed decisions.
David Phipps and Daniele Zanotti, CEO of United Way of York Region, were also awarded $14,979 for an events grant titled, “Mobilizing the Best Practices of Institutional KT Services for Health and Society.” Through this grant, ResearchImpact partner universities and their local United Ways in St. John’s, Montreal, Saskatoon, and Victoria will meet with York and the United Way of York Region to learn from each others’ best practices in KM. “It is important that community agencies are working from the best knowledge available so that they can make well-informed decisions,” says Daniele. 
“York’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit provides an avenue for community organizations to tap into the research expertise available in the University. It makes research, as well as researchers and graduate students, accessible to non-academic decision-makers.”
Thanks to all of our supporters, collaborators and KM stakeholders for a great 2009 and we look forward to working with you in 2010.