Sharing our research: challenges and new approaches at the Big Lottery Fund

1. Sharing our research: challenges and new approaches at the Big Lottery Fund Sally Taylor (Evidence Unit) David Taylor (Evidence Unit)

2. Big Lottery Fund • What we do • Distributes 40% of National Lottery good causes money • Our mission: Bringing improvements to communities and people in need • £6 billion since 2004, 13,000 awards last year • Multiple, large scale programmes of activity • UK and international

3. What we do • The Evidence Unit Ensure evidence is at the heart of what we do

4. What we’re commissioning Sustained change is our aspiration Moved from A, to B, to C

5. Programme evaluation +

6. Robust • Why do we want ‘more robust’ methods? • What are ‘more robust’ methods anyway? • What evidence do we think we’ll get?

7. Responsive • Striving to influence practice • Formative approach now taken in our contracts • Supporting communities of interest; peer to peer learning • Common data frameworks and tools (e.g. Well being)

8. Relevant • Timing • Policy relevance • Practical relevance • Widening evidence base (What Works centres)

9. Spotlight on... • Well-being • 5 year programme, with added 2 years • Holistic definition of well-being • Capturing impact across huge range of projects

10. Our challenges • Keeping a focus on our mission • Commissioning appropriate methodologies • Sharing the evidence effectively • Remaining aware of pressures on grant holders

11. Further information • Big Lottery Fund research • www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/research • The Alliance for Useful Evidence • www.nesta.org.uk/areas_of_work/alliance_for_useful_evidence • What counts as good evidence? (Nutley et al, 2012) www.nesta.org.uk/library/documents/A4UEprovocationpaper2.pdf • Inspiring Impact • inspiringimpact.org • The Third Sector Knowledge Portal • www.tsrc.ac.uk/Research/KnowledgePortal/tabid/840/Default.aspx • CAYT Impact study repository • http://www.ifs.org.uk/centres/caytRepository