The following websites and publications contain useful information about impact and guidance on developing your impact strategy.

• ESRC impact, innovation and interdisciplinary expectations - information for researchers applying for ESRC funding 
  
• Research Councils UK - Excellence with Impact framework (external website) 
• Research Councils UK - 'Research for our future: UK business success through public investment in research' (external website) 
• National Institute for Health Research - 'Exploring Impact: Public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research' (Involve PDF) 
• ESRC Pathway to Impact - how to complete the impact summary and pathways to impact section of your application 
• ESRC Strategic Plan 2009-2014- this document sets out our prospectus for what social science can and must do over the new few years 
• Impact Case Studies - here we highlight how ESRC-funded research has led to policy and practice impacts in society, through features and case studies covering a wide range of sectors. 

Project management

The resources listed below will help you manage your impact programme more effectively.

• ESRC - model financial planning form (PDF, 17Kb) - template form for setting out income and expenses for an activity

Knowledge exchange

The resources listed below on how to engage with stakeholders and convince them to make use of your research findings by adjusting their policies and practice.

• Telling stories: Accounting for knowledge exchange (RELU PDF)   
• Knowledge Exchange publications 
  
• RCUK Knowledge Transfer Portal (external website)
• The ISSUES guide to KT (external website) - a series of documents designed to help researchers understand the methods behind creating impact beyond academia. 

Good places to practice knowledge exchange skills

•  Knowledge exchange opportunities

Public Engagement 

The resources listed below on how to engage with the public.

• People and Participation (external website) - Peopleandparticipation.net helps people who work in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and who need to involve a wider group of people in their work.
• What is public engagement? (external website) -The Beacons for Public Engagement framework gives a clear outline to how different sectors view public engagement.
• Beacons for public engagement toolkit and case studies (external website) - A resource for all researchers looking for further ideas and information on colleagues undertaking engagement activities
• What's in it for me? The benefits of public engagement for researchers (RCUK PDF) - This RCUK publication includes a selection of some of the highlights and first hand experiences of a range of researchers across the UK of the positive benefits arising from engaging with the public. 
• Engaging Young People with Cutting Edge Research: A guide for researchers and teachers (RCUK PDF) - A brochure providing helpful signposts and opportunities to both researchers and teachers on how to get started working together. 
• Dialogue with the Public (external website) - An RCUK publication intended primarily for those relatively new to communicating science or who are making the first steps to move from a monologue approach to a dialogue style.
• The engaging researcher (external website) - This publication offers practical tips on how public engagement can benefit you, your research and the public with whom you engage.
• Exploring Impact: Public involvement in NHS, public health and social care research (Involve PDF) - This report explores the impact of public involvement through an in-depth review of published literature

Evaluating science in society projects

• Evaluation (external website)
  The RCUK Evaluation Guide gives practical advice for anyone wanting to evaluate Science in Society projects. You can download a colour copy or a black & white version for printing, or else contact the Science in Society Unit and we will send you a hard copy.
• Community engagement and mobilisation: critique of a public dialogue day
  An evaluation of the dialogue day held as part of this joint ESRC/AHRC Connected Communities funding call.

For how the ESRC can help see public engagement. 

Branding and publicity materials

• ESRC identity/logo guidelines - information on using the ESRC corporate identity.   
• Plain English Campaign (external website) - tips on accessible writing, design and layout. 
• Royal National Institute for the Blind (external website) - guidance and publications on producing accessible information for people with sight problems including the deaf-blind. 
• Royal National Institute for the Deaf (external website) - guidance on communicating with deaf and hard of hearing people 
• Equality and Human Rights Commission (external website) - guidance on communicating with deaf and hard of hearing people.
• Social media: a guide for researchers (external website) - a guide on the use of social media for academics and their research.
• Digital Researcher 2011- access to all virtual attendance content including sidles and presentations for this event.  

For how the ESRC can help see branding, interactive media and publications.  

Media relations 

• ESRC - Working with the media: a best practice guide   
• ESRC press office   
• Association of Media Evaluation Companies (external website) - information about the purpose of media evaluation, how to brief an agency and how to use media evaluation to best effect.
• The Digital Engagement Guide - Ideas and practical help to use digital and social media in the public sector.
  

Public affairs

• HM Treasury guidance on evaluation for Central Government, but will also be useful for all policy makers, including in local government, charities and the voluntary sectors.

For a full list of parliamentary websites, government departments research units and useful contacts can be found under Information and resources.   

Further information on how the ESRC can help.