Five Ways Training and Technical Assistance Transforms Science into Solutions

Every day, team members at RTI conduct research on a wide range of social issues that aim at improving the human condition. This includes, but is not limited to, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of criminal justice responses, working with medical providers to better serve their clients, providing supports for victims of crimes or families who find themselves in crisis. For decades, we have produced evidence and recommendations on what works, what doesn’t, and, importantly, what can be improved. 

To make evidence truly impactful, there is no greater benefit than the power of partnering with practitioners, policymakers, and those impacted by the issue. By working closely with practitioners, researchers can ensure that knowledge is more seamlessly integrated into their work.  This is where training and technical assistance (TTA) comes into play. Quality TTA can not only help make research accessible and understandable but also build capacity and foster collaboration by establishing virtual and in-person environments to learn from one another. It’s an opportunity for promoting evidence-based or promising practices and creating space to exchange ideas on how to address existing challenges and barriers. Based on our years of experience conducting TTA projects on a range of topics, we have compiled five reasons why TTA is crucial for driving impact.      

1. TTA Addresses Real-World Barriers to Implementation

Even the most robust research is limited when it comes to implementation in real-world settings. TTA helps identify barriers—whether they are resource-related, cultural, organizational, political, or logistical—and creates opportunities for practitioners and researchers to problem solve in real-time. Through one-on-one meetings with TTA providers, group gatherings, trainings, and webinars, practitioners share their progress, discuss challenges, brainstorm solutions, and learn from each other. This type of knowledge sharing is invaluable, helping to form communities of practice and supporting all parties as they navigate the ever-evolving challenges of implementation. We find that our lessons learned through TTA initiatives can be just as impactful as findings from evaluation projects.

2. TTA Fosters an Environment Conducive to Open and Honest Dialogue

We have conducted evaluations in diverse settings and understand the challenges of building trust and fostering open dialogue with practitioners and partners. Hierarchical structure, sometimes inherent in formal evaluations, can create obstacles for researchers to become equal partners with practitioners. This is where TTA presents an opportunity. A TTA provider’s primary goal is to serve as a thought partner to practitioners. It allows us to be equal partners with practitioners and learn from them, troubleshoot challenges together, document the program’s evolution, understand local context, identify barriers, and collaborate in finding solutions. The products and deliverables produced from TTA projects can also be highly valuable for the broader field, offering opportunities to learn from innovative practices and gain insights into real-time implementation challenges and solutions.

3. TTA Builds Capacity and Strengthens Skills

Through individualized support and group training, TTA helps develop and enhance the skills and knowledge of practitioners, policymakers, and service providers. We often hear that for agencies new to federal funding and the complexities of reporting and compliance requirements, TTA is particularly valuable in helping them become more proficient in managing federal awards. For more experienced agencies, TTA platforms offer an opportunity to share their expertise with peers, expanding their impact on those they serve. When designed effectively, TTA projects begin by assessing current capacities and identifying gaps. This allows for the creation of tailored offerings that focus on building skills in priority areas, ultimately strengthening the overall capacity of the field.

4. TTA Enhances Understanding and Application of Research

Researchers play a crucial role in guiding implementation based on evidence by providing expert insights, offering data-driven recommendations, and helping practitioners adapt proven strategies to local contexts. This ensures that interventions are both effective and sustainable. In some TTA projects, researchers offer evidence and data insights from previous evaluations. In other cases, building evidence occurs concurrently with TTA support. In these instances, it's important to clearly distinguish between the evaluation and TTA teams to avoid confusion among practitioners regarding the role of the external partners. Ideally, evaluation and TTA components are carried out by different staff members, who can communicate with each other while maintaining distinct roles.

5. TTA Drives Long-Term Impact and Sustainability 

In most instances, TTA is not a one-time event. Rather it is intended to provide ongoing support to ensure that implementation and the application of evidence remain sustainable over time. By building lasting relationships and offering continued guidance, TTA providers help ensure that evidence-based practices evolve and improve, leading to enduring positive change. In many of our projects, such as Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP), Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) and Forensic TTA, we engage with partners in sustainability planning to maintain the initiatives beyond existing funding cycles. TTA providers often play a critical role in documenting various aspects of implementation in multi-site initiatives, capturing local contexts, and distilling key components of program models that can be successfully adapted across different sites. This continuous support and adaptation process helps ensure that effective practices are not only implemented but also maintained and scaled for long-term success.

Research and Training and Technical Assistance (TTA)

Simply put, research and TTA go hand-in-hand. Research helps the field identify effective programs, provides valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t, and highlights benefits from specific interventions. Meanwhile, TTA plays a crucial role in working as thought partners with practitioners, translating existing evidence into practical strategies, and troubleshooting real-world challenges that arise during implementation. Together, research and TTA ensure that evidence-based practices are not only adopted but also successfully implemented. This complementary approach can foster continuous improvement and drive lasting, positive change. 

Learn more about our Training & Technical Assistance capabilities.