OTH51 - Funding for Impact - sponsored by the Weston Family Foundation

This panel, "Funding for Impact - A discussion about what impact means for research," aims to address the complexities of research funding in northern Canada. The session will provide a dual perspective by featuring insights from both funders and fund-seekers.

The panel will include representatives from key northern funding organizations who will discuss their strategic approaches to funding and criteria for impact assessment. Complementing the funders, fund-seekers will share their experiences and perspectives, providing first-hand accounts of challenges faced, outcomes achieved, and the gaps that exist in the funding landscape.

This session is designed to last 75 minutes and is structured to include individual presentations and a moderated panel discussion followed by an interactive audience Q&A. This format is intended to foster a better understanding of how funders value impact in research and how that is interpreted by fund-seekers, identifying both strengths and areas for improvement.

Introductions: Alison Ronson, Program Director, Northern, Weston Family Foundation 

Moderator: Connie Tang, Director of Strategy and Business Development, Research Impact Canada 

Panellists: 

Tom Henheffer, Chief Executive Officer, Arctic Research Foundation 

Andrew Applejohn, Executive Director, Programs, Polar Knowledge Canada 

Brandon Laforest, Lead Specialist, Arctic Conservation, WWF Canada 

Fiona Schmiegelow, Dean, Applied Science and Management, YukonU 

Kelsey Wrightson, Executive Director, Dechinta Center for Research and Learning