Types of impact of knowledge brokering organisations: evidence from the UK what works centres

In recent decades, organisations brokering evidence to decision-makers have multiplied worldwide. However, insufficient attention has been placed on examining their impact on policy and practice. This paper investigates the impact of a specific set of knowledge brokering organisations in the United Kingdom (UK) called What Works Centres (WWCs). Using a framework of knowledge brokering impact developed with brokers, alongside forty semi-structured stakeholder interviews from four Centres, we analyse the different types of impact that these organisations have. We find that WWCs have reframed the debate on issues (conceptual impact), impacted on decision-making at different stages of the process (instrumental impact), helped stakeholders access, monitor and use evidence (capacity-building impact), and created opportunities to discuss what works and improve practice (relational impact). We also highlight instances where impact was not achieved, illustrating to knowledge brokers what could be done differently. We contribute to research and practice by empirically documenting the variety of impacts of knowledge brokering, focusing on the voices of those they are seeking to influence. Our framework which outlines different impact categories of knowledge brokering and evaluation tools can be used by practitioners in academia and beyond.