Bridging the gap between evidence and policy: Understanding the work of knowledge brokers
The following blog was co-authored by Sofia Bahena, Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.; Lucy Kühn Barrientos, Senior Consultant in Evidence-Informed Policies. Former Coordinator of the Evidence-Informed Health Policies Unit, Ministry of Health, and Consultant in Government Scientific Advice, Ministry of Science, Chile; Timothy Lubanga, Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation, Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda; Lisa McNamara, Program Director for the Climate and Development Knowledge Network at SouthSouthNorth, South Africa; Violet Murunga, Research and Policy Analyst, African Institute for Development Policy, Kenya; Lucia Scodanibbio, Learning Lead for the Climate and Development Knowledge Network at SouthSouthNorth, South Africa.
Decision-makers often contend with an abundance of information from disparate sources, yet frequently lack the time, capacity or skills to interpret and apply it effectively in designing solutions. That’s where we come in as knowledge brokers.
We act as a bridge between evidence and policymaking. Our goal is to make complex research understandable and useful for decision-makers. Knowledge brokers use systematic and transparent methods to find, analyze and communicate research findings clearly to policymakers, the public and other stakeholders — and we strive to be seen as trusted sources of unbiased information.
We gathered for a panel discussion at the 2024 TEN Conference in Cape Town to share our experiences as knowledge brokers. TEN is a global platform for scholars, knowledge brokers, policymakers and funders working in a diverse array of issue areas to advance evidence-to-action strategies, hosted by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Participants dialogue, synthesize, jointly problem-solve and coordinate on innovative approaches for bridging research, policy and practice to address societal challenges. Following that conversation, we’re reflecting on roles, opportunities and challenges in our work. In this blog, we share real-world examples of knowledge brokering and discuss what’s needed to advance it as a practice, recognizing this as a specialized role that requires specific skills.
Our roles as knowledge brokers
Knowledge brokers support a range of activities which we’ve found to be relevant in our different contexts:
Infomediary
We facilitate access to information by filtering, compiling and aggregating data and other forms of evidence, including research and experiential knowledge, to address the priorities of policymakers and other stakeholders.
In many countries, the health sector, particularly the Ministry of Health, often possesses more advanced information management systems compared to other sectors, although still with challenges and gaps.
In Uganda, national-level knowledge management systems compile and aggregate information including socio-economic indicators, health trends, and climate data, to support national development planning and budgeting.
Knowledge translator
We translate complex research findings into accessible and actionable formats for a wide range of audiences. This involves simplifying technical jargon, contextualizing evidence and appraising its quality.
For example:
- The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) developed factsheets on climate change in Africa, distilling key findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports into easily understandable formats to inform climate decisions.
- Results for Development (R4D) supported the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in developing a nutrition score card — a data visualization tool to hold governments accountable to nutrition commitments and take data-informed actions.
- The Evidence-Informed Policy Unit within Chile’s Ministry of Health (MoH) developed an evidence map to inform the redesign of mental health care models in primary care and produced policy recommendations for a national nutrition program, guiding stakeholders in assessing scientific research and local evidence.
Knowledge co-creation
We foster collaboration among different groups, including researchers, practitioners, and indigenous communities, to facilitate the co-creation of knowledge for decision-making. These interactions enhance mutual understanding, strengthen individual and institutional capacities, and cultivate valuable networks and relationships.
- In Chile, the Evidence-Informed Health Policies Unit in the Ministry of Health serves as a successful example of this approach, demonstrating the value of embedded knowledge brokering structures. The unit is staffed by a team of researchers with deep methodological expertise, a nuanced understanding of politics, and a commitment to building trusted relationships with partners. Similarly, the Ministry of Science is designing a government science advisory initiative to connect evidence producers with decision-makers in other ministries in Chile, strengthening the role of knowledge brokers.
- The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) collaborates with African governments and intergovernmental organizations to produce analysis for guiding policy and program decisions such as the collaborative demographic dividend modeling that shaped the population policies and national development plans of nine African countries and the 2016 Africa Union Roadmap.
- R4D facilitates several networks that bring together vibrant communities of policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to learn from each other and co-create solutions to shared challenges. In this knowledge brokering role, R4D provides intentional spaces that foster exchange between evidence producers and users.
Challenges and keys to knowledge brokering success
There are many obstacles that can stand in the way of knowledge brokering, including misalignment between policymaker needs and research timelines, which can be further exacerbated by the busy schedules of decision-makers. Additionally, the distinct value of our work is often underappreciated and underfunded, and limited funding can make it challenging to sustain evidence-to-action efforts and build strong systems. Finally, we lack robust tools to understand and measure the impact of knowledge brokering, particularly the crucial aspects of trust and relationship building.
At the same time there are several approaches that contribute to the success of our efforts.
Access to decision-makers
In Uganda, the Parish Development Model, aimed at increasing household incomes and improving living standards, faced early implementation challenges. Researchers from the University of Makerere who reviewed the program and offered recommendations to address the challenges had limited initial success. The Directorate for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Inspection in the Office of the Prime Minister, helped turn the research findings into an easy-to-read policy brief that was shared through direct access with the Prime Minister and other senior officials.
Policymakers acted quickly to address the program’s challenges when the information was presented clearly. In another approach, AFIDEP extends efforts to strengthen capacities in evidence-informed policymaking in health, education, climate change and governance, to mid-level policymakers, researchers, advocacy groups and the media, to broaden access to senior leaders and decision-makers.
Context-driven approach
In Ghana, CDKN works on gender and social inclusion in climate change, including working with women in the Upper West region. Given that the women traditionally use songs to communicate important issues in their communities, their participation in CDKN workshops has enabled them to create songs about climate change impacts and solutions, which are amplified on radio through partnerships with local and national radio stations. This awareness creation process invites different voices and experiences into national conversations and has also helped to increase women’s agency and empowerment.
AFIDEP conducts assessments to understand how policymaking works in a government agency at the start of an engagement. These assessments look at political, technical, organizational, and system capacities for using evidence. For example, the AFIDEP-led Alliance for Evidence and Equity in Policymaking in Africa initiative in the Africa LEEPS partnership (Learning together to advance Evidence and Equity in Policymaking to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals) assessed the reproductive health and clean energy sectors in Kenya. They found differences in how evidence is used in each sector and used these findings to provide targeted support.
Co-creation
In Nepal, the South Asia Institute of Advanced Studies supported a co-creation water forum called Pani Chautari that brought together upstream and downstream water users, the local municipality, and researchers into a communal space to collaboratively discuss urban water challenges and identify practical solutions to advance urban water governance. Pani Chautari uses a codified process to understand the challenges, gather evidence, and test solutions in a participatory manner. Pani Chautari has now been institutionalized in the annual budget of Nepal’s Dhulikhel municipality with CDKN support.
In the United States, Texas-based Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) champions the voices of communities that are often excluded from the legislative process. IDRA forges strategic partnerships with community-based organizations, embodying a core knowledge brokering function. This involves collaboratively producing rigorous research, crafting accessible policy briefs, engaging infographics and developing captivating communication strategies to effectively reach state policymakers. These community-based organizations bring invaluable lived experience and a deep understanding of local priorities, ensuring that the research generated is directly relevant and responsive to community needs.
Through this collaboration, community partners actively participate in interpreting the evidence and gain skills in communicating with legislators. While IDRA provides crucial research and policy expertise, their work cannot advance meaningfully without direction and input from community-based partners.
Trust and relationship building
CDKN’s context-driven approach, through its network of organizations in the Global South, centers on integrating local knowledge and evidence on climate change into policy. Initiatives are led by partners in academic institutions and NGOs with strong government relationships. In Ethiopia, these partners are trusted brokers for the Ministry of Planning and Development and other government partners by supporting efforts to mainstream climate and gender issues in different ministries.
Four ideas to forward knowledge brokering and increase its visibility
1. Create spaces for continuous learning and reflection
Platforms like TEN, the Africa Evidence Network (AEN) and the Evidence Hub of Latin America and the Caribbean (HubLAC), serve as vital spaces for dialogue, learning, and the sharing of tools and best practices. These platforms are essential for validating and strengthening the critical functions of knowledge brokers.
Partnerships like Africa LEEPS also provide valuable forums for learning and reflection to enhance our collective capacity.
2. Move toward more specificity in terminology
While a singular approach or standardized terminology is not the aim, refining our definitions and descriptions of knowledge brokering across different contexts will significantly improve our ability to assess and articulate our impact.
With an improved understanding of impact, we’ll be able to better demonstrate the value we provide.
3. Bring knowledge brokering to more communities
Knowledge brokers can support communities in actively playing a role in shaping policies and programs. When communities are centered in decision-making processes — valuing the knowledge, experience, and skills they bring — policies and programs are more likely to have buy-in, and to be more equitable and resilient.
Expanding awareness of our knowledge brokering roles can be a way to build demand for brokering services that enables communities to take action.
4. Adapt to change while holding on to relational expertise
As knowledge brokering evolves to respond to increasingly complex challenges and technologies like AI, championing and demonstrating the enduring value of our relational work will become even more critical. Building networks and fostering collaboration, co-creation,and negotiation are key to achieving equitable, inclusive, and sustainable outcomes. Let’s not underestimate the importance of these skills.
The increasing recognition of the role of knowledge brokers in bridging evidence and policy is encouraging. Recent conferences and articles highlight the significance of this work and the need for further research. While knowledge brokering is still developing as a recognized practice, sharing experiences and learning together is a crucial step forward.
