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Report summary

Wellcome Success Framework: report for data 2012-17

The Wellcome Success Framework brings together the broad range of activities through which we achieve our mission. It helps us evaluate different forms of success, be that transformative research, new health interventions, better policies and practices, or effectively engaging people with health research. This report presents some of the evidence from 2012 to 2017. 

Key findings 

  • The Wellcome Success Framework is helping to clarify what Wellcome is aiming to achieve, and how.
  • Between 2012 and 2017, a total of 2.2 million people participated in Wellcome-funded clinical trials or equivalent studies.
  • Research publications funded solely by Wellcome (2012-17) performed twice as well as the global average, according to a proxy indicator of reach and use. Jointly funded publications performed even better.
  • About 43% of Wellcome’s spend (2012-17) was used to fund research with translational potential. Of the relevant award holders, we estimate around 29% were actively exploring translational activities.
  • Wellcome-funded projects to engage people with science and health research (2012-17) reported 22.5 million physical participations and 33.4 million online – but we had data from only half of these projects.
"The Wellcome Success Framework sets out, in plain language, what matters to Wellcome, what we’re doing, and how our activities contribute to our mission. I hope this work will inspire other charities and foundations to consider a similar approach."
Chonnettia Jones, Wellcome’s Director of Insight and Analysis

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