There’s definitely a link between Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) and Knowledge Management (KM) of policy influence. An effective and practical evaluation can easily lead to a good story about a particular experience in policy impact that is helpful to members and peer organizations. The internal culture of a research institution becomes stronger when members understand more and better the challenges that lay ahead, when they motivate one another, and introduce changes together based on what they’ve learned.

There are various advantages for organizations that make progress in these fields. They can validate institutional strategies to strengthen the impact of research on public policies, which is precisely their raison d’etre. They can also build a stronger reputation and achieve greater visibility to attract more support from donors. When approached with a genuine interest in learning, developing an M&E system and initiating a KM culture can become an instance for learning and motivation for organization members.

M&E and KM also help organizations focus better on their activities, monitor where and how resources are invested, and draft sound and realistic strategic plans. For all the above reasons, taking the first steps to formalize M&E and KM practices of policy impact shouldn’t be a luxury for organizations. On the contrary, it entails an intelligent and promising investment.