2026 Global Innovation Conference for Research, Policy, and Practice

The Impact Funders Forum, facilitated by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Centre for Evidence and Implementation are pleased to announce the 2026 Global Innovation Conference for Research, Policy, and Practice (formerly the Transforming Evidence Network Conference).

Building on past conferences in Miami (2022) and Cape Town, South Africa (2024), the 2026 convening will bring together an international community of experts studying and creating innovative models for tying research to societal needs and decision-making. Conference attendees will include action-oriented scholars, practitioners, industry leaders, policymakers, and funders working on a diverse array of topic areas such as health, education, sustainability, climate, peace and security, international development, economic mobility, and more. The convening will provide dedicated space for this cross-disciplinary and cross-issue community to work together to strengthen the connections among research, policy, and practice around the world.

Topics will include:

• The latest scholarship about what makes research more useful, trusted, and impactful.
• The most recent efforts for assessing how research benefits society.
• The future of evidence synthesis for policy and practice.
• How to boost institutional capacity for partnerships among research, government, community, and the private sector.
• The forces reshaping the global research ecosystem, such as shifts in research funding, the talent pipeline, democracy and science, and more.

The Impact Funders Forum unites philanthropic and public funders from diverse sectors to close the gap between research and outcomes. It leverages the influence and resources of funders and their partners across domains around the world to address systemwide challenges with system-level solutions. The Centre for Evidence and Implementation is a global evidence intermediary and advisory organization dedicated to using the best evidence in practice and policy to improve people’s lives.

Please note that the conference is an invitation-only event. Invitees will receive information about registration in April 2026. 

Please contact Rumeli Banik ([email protected]) with questions.