As part of your ESRC application you will be asked to complete a Impact Summary (4000 characters max) and Pathways to Impact attachment (maximum 2 x A4 pages) in which you are asked to consider several areas, this pathways to toolkit provides some further guidance to assist in completing these sections and support your impact activities throughout this life of your grant.

The Impact Summary should be an outline of the pathways to impact attachments and answer the two following questions:

• Who will benefit from this research?
• How will they benefit from this research?

The Impact Summary may be published to demonstrate potential impact of Research Council funded research. Please ensure confidential information is not included in this Summary.

For further information see the Je-S Guidance on Case for Support and Attachments: Pathways to Impact.

The Pathways to Impact Toolkit gives you everything you need achieve the maximum impact for your work. The toolkit includes information on developing an impact strategy, promoting knowledge exchange, public engagement and communicating effectively with your key stakeholders.

To find out more about impact, including how to make an impact with your research and what the benefits are, follow the links below:

• What is impact?
• Why make an impact?
• How to maximise impact 

Part of the toolkit gives guidance on putting together a strategy. The strategy is a more comprehensive plan to achieve and maintain your outlined Pathway to Impact. The developing a strategy section includes a step-by-step guide which takes you through each stage of the process, including setting objectives, developing key messages, identifying your audience and getting them involved.

Tips on writing a good Pathways to Impact attachment from the ESRC’s Grants assessment panels:

• think carefully about communities to engage
• give clear pathways to potential impact – include what you plan to do and how you plan to do it:
  • be specific
  • don’t just give an unstructured list of activities
• be realistic about what is achievable
• be strategic - think about options if one route doesn’t work or is no longer appropriate
• include a strategy for engaging with policymakers if appropriate
• consider what timescales are appropriate: immediate/medium-term/long-term impacts, but don’t just think linearly
• don’t repeat what’s in the impact summary
• don’t repeat your academic dissemination strategy
• do ask for the costs of carrying out your pathways to impact strategy
• think beyond policy impact.