Building your knowledge mobilization strategy in grant applications
The audience at Congress is primarily faculty and students in the humanities and social sciences. And since every SSHRC grant requires a knowledge mobilization strategy today was filled with researchers asking how to create a knowledge mobilization plan. We shared the process we undertake at York while pointing out that each ResearchImpact university will have its own unique services and tools.
We first sit with the researcher to understand the research. We then ask the researcher four questions that we have synthesized from Melanie Barwick’s Knowledge Translation Planning Template (www.melamiebarwick.com):
- Who are you partners and/or audiences you will work with?
- With those partners co-construct the goals of your knowledge mobilization – what are you hoping to accomplish together?
- What are the activities you will do to help meet your goals?
- What are the metrics and indicators you will use to assess if your activities have helped you reach your goals?
If you have one page for your knowledge mobilization strategy write four paragraphs. If you have four pages dedicate one page to each of these questions.
It was gratifying to see the light bulb go off for researchers who struggle to articulate a coherent knowledge mobilization strategy. One researcher exclaimed, « This is so amazing! »
We were asked if we have an on line tool to create a knowledge mobilization strategy by answering questions. The answer is no. Each research project is unique and it requires a unique knowledge mobilization strategy. It is not something that lends itself to formulaic processes. Instead knowledge brokers work hands on with researcher, students and their partners to craft specific knowledge mobilization strategies.
For more tools and tips on knowledge mobilization drop by the ResearchImpact booth at Congress.
