The BIRC Mission

The mission of the BIRC is to support the Duke University research community in its individual and collective efforts to develop, implement, assess and disseminate broader impacts activities and initiatives.

Types of Support

Broader Impacts Consulting

We will work with you on all phases of your Broader Impacts activities:

• At the pre-proposal stage, to help you conceptualize Broader Impacts activities that are seamlessly integrated into the research program you are proposing, and to assist you in crafting a Broader Impacts statement that clearly and effectively communicates your Broader Impacts vision
• Once your proposal is funded, advising and consulting on Broader Impacts implementation, compliance (are you doing what you said you would do in your proposal, in the time-frame you described?), assessment and dissemination of results.

Broader Impacts Education and Professional Development

Throughout the year, we run or contribute to workshops which provide researchers with an overview of Broader Impacts policy and best practices, as well as grant-writing strategies to ensure that your Broader Impacts ideas are communicated clearly and persuasively.

Facilitation of Broader Impacts Collaboration, Leveraging and Partnership Building

Often, the most effective Broader Impacts activities are ones in which you partner with established programs/projects/organizations to leverage existing strengths and expertise.  On our “Broader Impacts Resources” page, we will be maintaining a section listing local (Duke, Durham, RTP) individuals or groups that are engaged in Broader Impacts/outreach activities and might serve as valuable partners for your proposed project.

How To Work With the BIRC

If you are working on a proposal for funding, or would just like to have a conversation about your ideas for Broader Impacts/outreach activities, the BIRC is happy to work with you.  Simply follow these steps:

1. Look over our Broader Impacts Resources section to see if you can find information to get you started.
2. Read over the BIRC Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  The BIRC MOU is not a contract, but rather an explanation of the services we can provide and the expectations we have of our clients.  Nothing is “binding”, but this is a good way for you to learn more about the services we can provide and the ideal time-frame for working with us.
3. Contact us to set up your first appointment.

Please note that the ideal time to start working with the BIRC is at least two months prior to the submission deadline for your proposal.  This gives us sufficient time to get to know you and your project, meet with you to discuss your Broader Impacts ideas and give you feedback on your drafts and revisions.

What Do We Ask of You?

Each client working with the BIRC will be asked to do the following:

• Read and sign the BIRC Memorandum of Understanding.  You will receive a copy of this and we will keep a copy on file in the BIRC office.
• Do your best to adhere to the timeline in the MOU. If you have a one page project summary/draft of your summary, please send to: jory@duke.edu. Click here for guidelines on how to prepare a summary.
• Upon submission of your proposal (or completion of your work with the BIRC), complete a brief online survey to help us evaluate the effectiveness of our services.
• Upon receipt of your proposal review from the funding agency, share the reviewer comments on your Broader Impacts section.  These comments will not be shared outside of our office, but are useful to us in evaluating the quality of our services.