Impact Accelerator Program

IHPI is not currently accepting applications for this program. More information about joining the next cohort will be available in fall 2026.

The goal of the Impact Accelerator Program is to help IHPI members expand the reach and visibility of their work to make meaningful contributions to health policy and health care delivery on the local, state, and federal levels.

You will develop skills to bridge the gap between research and policy through a series of interactive skill-building sessions and practical learnings focused on policy and communications, led by IHPI communications and policy & government relations professionals, faculty members, and other U-M experts. The program is designed to prepare you to navigate today’s policy and communications landscape; to frame, translate, and disseminate research findings for greater impact; and to identify and effectively engage with media, stakeholder and policy audiences.

Program Details

The program will take place over three days, from May 19-21, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens (1800 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105). IHPI will serve a continental breakfast and lunch each day.

Snapshot of the Planned Programming

Gain key skills and build your communications and policy engagement roadmap through expert-led sessions and workshops:

Reflecting on what "impact" means to you

Understanding today’s policy and communications landscapes

Identifying the key health policies your work could inform

Mapping out your key target audiences and ways to engage with them

Learning how to describe yourself and your work, including honing your online presence on the web and social media

Framing your findings and the resulting real-world implications in a way that resonates with external audiences

Practicing engaging with the media through a mock interview with a public relations professional

Thinking through potential policy-relevant written products, including one-pagers and op-eds

Expected Outcomes

Participants will improve their understanding of how to translate, package, and amplify policy-relevant work for policy and media audiences. There will be opportunities to practice new skills through workshops and activities, and to build relationships with cohort members, IHPI staff, and other experts, which you can continue to cultivate following the program through follow-up contacts and an annual reunion of all alumni.

You will leave with an elevator pitch about yourself, talking points about your research, lists of key audiences and policies connected to your research, dissemination strategies, and initial ideas for potential policy-relevant written products. We will provide a workbook with tools, worksheets, and other resources.

Program Eligibility

Current IHPI members from any discipline, career level, and level of experience with policy engagement and health communications are invited to apply. The most successful candidates are those who have research projects or findings ready to share with external audiences.

Space is limited, so only apply if you can commit to attending the full three days from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We ask that you hold the time on your calendar when you submit your application.

Note: IHPI Clinician Scholars (National Clinician Scholars and Master’s Students) are not eligible, as your curriculum already includes similar content to the Impact Accelerator training, and slots are limited.

Application Requirements

Applications are due by Wednesday, December 3, at 11:59 p.m. Members will be notified of acceptance in December 2025.

Please fill out the application on Competition Space. You will be asked to attach your recent CV or NIH biosketch, and fill in:

A brief description of your research portfolio and any initial thoughts on how your findings could inform policy or practice.
How participating in this program will help support any goals you have related to policy engagement or health communications.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be chosen based upon the following criteria:

Demonstrated commitment to policy-relevant health services research.
Potential for the program to further any goals related to policy engagement or research-informed communications.
Ability to attend the entirety of the program.
Interdisciplinary representation within the cohort.

Thank you for your interest! If you have questions or would like to discuss the program further, please contact Sarah Wang at [email protected].

Testimonials from Past Participants

Geoff Barnes

M.D., M.Sc.

2023 Impact Accelerator participant

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine

“The IHPI Impact Accelerator Program was some of the most high-yield time I spent this past year. I appreciated connecting with key IHPI experts who showed me different ways to increase the visibility and impact of my research. I also like how many of the sessions were “hands-on” and that we got immediate feedback on our ability to tell the story of our research in different venues.

Because of my involvement in the IHPI Impact Accelerator Program, I’m already working with the IHPI Policy Engagement team to develop a policy brief and connect with policymakers at CMS.

I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking to take their research to the policy level as a way of maximizing their impact! I would encourage anyone to set aside the time on their calendar to participate fully – it’s well worth it.”

Robin Brewer

Ph.D.

2024 Impact Accelerator participant

Assistant Professor in the School of Information

“The Impact Accelerator program was the highlight of my year. I learned strategies for communicating my research in different formats (in-person conversation, policy briefs) and to different policy audiences (busy lawmakers, advocacy organizations, reporters). This should be required training for any faculty member!”

Daniel Hertz

Pharm.D., Ph.D.

2024 Impact Accelerator participant

Associate Professor of Pharmacy

“The IHPI Impact Accelerator program gave me a whole new perspective on my research. The guided sessions allowed me to focus my message and identify avenues for promoting my research beyond academia. I recommend this program to anyone who wants to maximize the impact of their research on society.”

Cathryn Lapedis

M.D., M.P.H.

2024 Impact Accelerator participant

Assistant Professor of Pathology

“The impact accelerator program was phenomenal. There were so many opportunities to meet and learn from driven and intelligent colleagues doing fascinating work. There were many interactive activities which allowed us to remember why we do this work, and to model how to translate our academic research to the media and how to think about how our work could influence policy. All the faculty and panelists were superstars, and it was such a pleasure to take time out of a busy schedule to reflect, spend some time in nature, and meet fascinating people who could help change how we think about our role and our research.”