Pew Welcomes Its First Civic Science Fellow to Work With Funders Collaborative

The Pew Charitable Trusts has partnered with the Civic Science Fellows program to host its first fellow as part of the 2024-25 cohort. Lisa Maillard, a Ph.D. candidate in environmental policy and planning at the University of Michigan, will be supporting the Transforming Evidence Funders Network (TEFN).

The Civic Science Fellows program aims to accelerate “progress toward a future where all people can shape science to expand its benefits and horizons.” Established in 2020, the program supports a network of leaders committed to fostering collaboration between researchers and leaders working in journalism, philanthropy, public engagement, and other fields to address critical societal issues.

Maillard will work with a TEFN work group focused on advancing effective grant solicitation and assessment practices for bridging the gap between research and on-the-ground solutions. For example, work group participants are rethinking grantee reporting requirements and impact measures to better capture research outcomes beyond scientific value, such as stronger relationships between research grantees, policymakers and other decision-makers. A dedicated group of TEFN participants is applying and sharing real-time experiences as they adapt their funding practices and assess the impacts of those changes.

Maillard will help build a repository of field-tested grantmaking practices to increase access and uptake of effective funding strategies. She expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunity to expand on her dissertation research, which focuses on developing actionable knowledge for decision-making about climate change adaptation and examining the impact that funders have in supporting science that benefits communities on the front lines.

“It’s exciting for a group to commit to changing their practices and innovate with multiple funders—all working together to assess the impacts of their efforts. I’m proud to be involved in this approach,” Maillard said.

“This project is closely aligned with Pew’s values of humility and impact,” said Angela Bednarek, founder and leader of TEFN. “With humility, we recognize there is much to learn about how funders can support research that drives real-world outcomes. But we must approach this work systematically to ensure we improve, not worsen, the situation for those facing our most daunting social challenges.”

The collaboration between TEFN and the Civic Science Fellows program helps to improve the role research funders can play in supporting efforts to address critical global issues. 

Jocelyn Hastings works on The Pew Charitable Trusts’ evidence project.