As summer approaches, an exciting week of decision making

I’ve got an exciting week before things quieten down over the summer, taking part in decision making meetings with two charities I'm supporting on research strategy.

This is my favourite stage of a strategy project… where you set out the range of different views and data that could pull you in all sorts of directions, and help charities make the big calls that will shape their future.

It’s always interesting how organisations that from the outside may look fairly similar in objectives and resources can take very different paths depending on their particular community needs and funding ecosystem.

I try to guide these discussions by crystallising the crucial questions emerging during a strategy project. Some can be quite specific, but others are more fundamental and apply to every health and research charity:

·     What does our community want from us?

It’s easy to make assumptions about what patients want from research, but the only way to find out is to ask them. I’m struck by how often the answers can be surprising. People can be more altruistic than you might expect – often focused on the future rather than always on research that will benefit them personally. Better diagnosis is often a focus, although how much it matters to people partly depends on what treatments are available once you are diagnosed.

·     What is our niche in our research ecosystem?

Once you understand what your community wants, the next step is to work out how you as a charity are best able to help. How are you uniquely placed to have an impact for patients in a way no other organisation can? The answer will depend on your resources, historic strengths… and the wider funding ecosystem. You need to consider not only what areas of research you should be supporting, but also how you should do it – whether through projects, people or broader support.

·     Where are the overlaps with potential partners?

Having your niche in the research landscape doesn’t mean you want to sit in splendid isolation. As research costs rise, charities will increasingly need to work with partners to fund projects and initiatives that can have real impact. The trick is to work out what are the overlaps in goals and remits between your organisation and others, and when that means an opportunity to collaborate. You will only have capacity to work with a few partners – so you need to choose carefully, and find those with a genuine desire to work together.