ARIS Impacts

What ARIS Impacts does

ARIS Impacts (legally, Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society) is a non-profit academic center housed at the University of Missouri, founded in 2014 as NABI and reorganized under its current identity in 2018. The organization serves the Broader Impacts (BI), Research Impact (RI), and Societal Impact (SI) segments of the U.S. and international research ecosystem, with a 2,000+ worldwide member community spanning researchers, practitioners, and institutions across universities, funding organizations, nonprofits, government agencies, and industries. ARIS is primarily funded by National Science Foundation grants (OIA-2334906 and OIA-1810732), aligning its mission directly to NSF's mandated Broader Impacts merit review criterion for research proposals.

ARIS's product portfolio centers on peer-reviewed tools (the Broader Impacts Toolkit with the BI Wizard, Guide Sheets, Guiding Principles, and Plan Rubric), the RI3 Initiative's Impact Atlas diagnostic framework, and a layered set of capacity-building programs: the two-year ORIC cohort program for institutions, customized institutional training workshops ($3,000-$10,000 per engagement), the Research Fellowship Program, the RICoP facilitator communities, and ERI-focused capacity building. Its technology stack includes the researchinsociety.org website, the third-party Brainier LMS powering the members-only ARIS Connect community, and the web-based Impact Atlas platform. Distribution runs through self-serve digital channels, direct institutional sales for training and ORIC, an annual Summit (the largest Broader Impacts conference globally), and tiered memberships (Student $50, Professional $175, Organizational $5,000 annually). Earned revenue streams include NSF grants, individual and organizational memberships, workshop and ORIC program fees, Summit sponsorships ($1,500-$15,000 tiers), and tax-deductible donations processed through the University of Missouri system.

Name

ARIS Impacts

Legal name

Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS)

Website

https://researchinsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ARIS Impacts is a University of Missouri-based non-profit center that supports the research impact ecosystem through training, tools, memberships, and the annual Summit, serving 2,000+ researchers, practitioners, and institutions worldwide under NSF-funded programs addressing the Broader Impacts criterion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Impact Training and Capacity Building

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADAKAH

Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB)

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Institutional Governance & Administration (School/College/University Admin)

SECONDARYEDAEALAO

Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Outsourced Operations & Managed Services for Education (BPO/Contracted Support)

SECONDARYEDADAIAM

Research, Evaluation & Program Effectiveness Reporting

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Data, Reporting & Accountability Systems

Keywords

• Research impact services
• Broader impacts training
• Institutional capacity building
• Professional development programs
• Societal impact advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. NSF Grant Support: ARIS is supported by U.S. National Science Foundation grants (OIA-2334906, OIA-1810732). These grants fund the organization's operations, programs, and Summits.
2. Individual Memberships: ARIS offers Student memberships at $50/year, Professional memberships at $175/year. Members receive discounts on events and professional development, access to online community forums, learning management system, newsletters, and early access to programs.
3. Organizational Memberships: Organizational memberships available for universities, institutions, and organizations at $5,000/year. Benefits include website listing, one free webinar, one free Summit registration, five individual memberships, and discounts on professional development offerings.
4. Institutional Training Services: Customizable workshops delivered virtually or in-person for institutions. Standard pricing: $3,000 for one-hour webinar, $5,000 for half-day workshop, $10,000 for full-day workshop. Multi-day trainings are customized with adjusted pricing.
5. ORIC Program Fees: Two-year ORIC program with institutional participation fee of $5,000 (standard) or $3,000 for Emerging Research Institutions. Institutions must also maintain organizational membership ($5,000 or $3,000 for ERIs). BI professional certification required at $1,250 per BI professional.
6. Donations: ARIS accepts donations from individuals, organizations, and partners. Donations are tax-deductible as ARIS is part of the University of Missouri.
7. Summit Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers for the annual ARIS Summit range from $15,000 (premier sponsor with session sponsorship and exhibition table) to $1,500 (student sponsorship with recognition).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ARIS advances research impact by delivering training programs, peer-reviewed tools, membership tiers, and convening events that help researchers, practitioners, and institutions strengthen Broader Impacts and societal impact work. Core paid offerings include the ORIC cohort program, Institutional Training workshops, Research Fellowship Program, Research Impact Communities of Practice (RICoP), the RI3 Initiative with the Impact Atlas framework, and the annual ARIS Summit.

Product overview

ARIS (Advancing Research Impact in Society) operates as a suite of interconnected programs and services rather than a single software product. The portfolio centers on the BI-RI-SI spectrum (Broader Impacts, Research Impact, Societal Impact) and includes training and capacity-building programs (ORIC two-year cohort program, Institutional Training workshops, Research Fellowship Program, RICoP Communities of Practice, ERI Work), a diagnostic/planning framework (RI3 Initiative / Impact Atlas), an awards and recognition program, an annual Summit conference, a Broader Impacts Toolkit with peer-reviewed writing and evaluation tools, a members-only community/learning management system (ARIS Connect via Brainier), a job board, a monthly newsletter, and tiered memberships (Student, Professional, Organizational). The Broader Impacts Toolkit and Impact Atlas represent the closest offerings to software products, while the remainder of the portfolio consists of in-person/virtual training programs, fellowships, cohort experiences, and community-building services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Broader Impacts Toolkit A peer-reviewed online toolkit of step-by-step tools that helps researchers write and reviewers evaluate Broader Impacts plans for NSF and other grant proposals. Includes the BI Wizard, BI Guide Sheet, Broader Impacts Guiding Principles document, and BI Plan Rubric.
• ORIC (Organizational Research Impact Capacity) Program A two-year cohort program that helps universities and organizations build in-house knowledge, skills, and systems to understand, assess, and communicate research impact, including train-the-trainer activities, BI mentoring, training resources, and inclusion in a Broader Impacts Community of Practice.
• Institutional Training Customizable on-site or virtual professional development workshops (one-hour webinars to multi-day trainings) for universities, funders, research institutes, and organizations to strengthen faculty and staff capacity in Broader Impacts and Research Impact.
• Research Fellowship Program A two-year fellowship supporting U.S.-based tenured researchers at associate rank or above to expand societal benefits of their research through stronger Broader Impacts plans, with a $5,000 annual stipend, coaching, travel support, and cohort-based peer networking.
• Research Impact Communities of Practice (RICoP) Facilitated communities for peer learning, resource sharing, and professional growth for Research Impact practitioners, organized in two-year cohorts with monthly meetings, co-created tools, and best-practice exchanges.
• Emerging Research Institutions (ERI) Work Capacity-building programs helping Emerging Research Institutions grow research capacity, strengthen infrastructure, and increase real-world impact through trainings, partnerships, and tools, in collaboration with NSF's EPIIC program.
• RI3 Initiative (Research Impacts Institutional Innovation) A national initiative developing the Impact Atlas, a diagnostic and planning framework with seven core dimensions (evaluation, funding, governance, incentives, leadership, partnerships, professional development) and a web-based platform with Prioritization Rubric, administrative dashboard, and messaging components.
• ARIS Annual Summit The largest Broader Impacts conference in the world, convening researchers, practitioners, administrators, and funders annually for keynotes, panel discussions, presentations, networking, and recognition of award recipients, with sponsorship tiers from $1,500 to $15,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ members worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.

• National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023ARIS and NORDP have partnered with NSF on the EPIIC (Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity) program since its founding in 2023. EPIIC helps Emerging Research Institutions build infrastructure and external partnerships needed to contribute to the broader U.S. research ecosystem.
• University of MissouricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARIS is housed at and part of the University of Missouri. The University of Missouri is an organizational member and serves as the institutional host. Donations to ARIS are tax-deductible through the University of Missouri system.
• Louis Stokes Regional Center of Excellence for the Study of STEM Interventions (SOSI Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at University of Missouri, SOSI Center is an NSF initiative that co-hosted the 2024 ARIS Summit and offered three pre-conference workshops. Focuses on cultivating cultural awareness and scholarly productivity of STEM training program leaders.
• Ciencia Puerto RicoregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ARIS for Summit 2025 events including the film 'Coming Home: The Journey of a Puerto Rican Scientist' screening with Q&A with Monica Feliú-Mójer. Ciencia Puerto Rico works to promote science and scientific careers in Puerto Rico.
• Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research TrustregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ARIS for Summit 2025 events. Supports science and research advancement in Puerto Rico.
• University of the Virgin IslandsregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummit 2025 sponsor and partner. President Dr. Safiya George participated in Summit Welcome remarks.
• University of Nebraska LincolnregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummit 2024 co-sponsor and host city partner. A land-grant university serving as the state's primary intellectual center.
• Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and AquariumregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummit 2024 sponsor and venue partner. The awards ceremony was held at the zoo following a private tour. Rated as the 'world's best zoo'.
• Emerald Publishing GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummit 2024 sponsor. Emerald is a digital-first publisher committed to publishing impactful research for making positive change aligned with UN SDGs.
• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in RI3 Initiative and Impact Atlas pilot program. Hosts the Impact Atlas application portal and informational webinar registration. Led the Impact Atlas Convening 2026 in Phoenix.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society, providing journals (Science), meetings, programs, and policy advocacy across all scientific disciplines. AAAS overlaps with ARIS in science engagement and public-impact programming but operates at vastly larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA): NCURA is a membership association serving research administrators who manage sponsored programs at universities and research institutions. It is a direct peer because ARIS's Broader Impacts and ORIC programming sits squarely within the research administration function that NCURA serves, with overlapping training, certification, and annual-meeting offerings.
• National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP): NORDP is the professional association for research development professionals in universities and research institutions. ARIS and NORDP are the most direct peers in the research impact/professionalization space and have a formal co-development partnership on NSF's EPIIC program serving Emerging Research Institutions.
• National Postdoctoral Association (NPA): NPA is a nonprofit membership association that improves the postdoctoral experience and supports early-career researchers with resources, policy advocacy, and professional development. ARIS and NPA both provide career-stage-specific professional development and certification services to the academic research workforce.
• Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE): CAISE is a national resource center that supports the informal science education field with resources, convening, and professional development. ARIS and CAISE are highly comparable in mission (field-building for research engagement and public impact) and operating model (NSF-funded resource centers serving a professional community).
• Research!America: Research!America is a nonprofit advocacy alliance working to make research a higher national priority, convening stakeholders across the research ecosystem. ARIS and Research!America share a convening and advocacy role for the U.S. research enterprise with coalition-based funding.
• Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR): CUR is a national organization that supports faculty-mentored undergraduate research across institutions, providing grants, networking, and resources. ARIS and CUR both build institutional and individual capacity for high-quality research practices in higher education through multi-year programs and member-based services.
• Society of Research Administrators International (SRA International): SRA International is an international professional society for research administrators across academia, government, and industry. Like ARIS, it provides training, publications, and an annual meeting that convenes the research administration profession and addresses grants management and compliance.
• Center for Open Science (COS): COS is a nonprofit that supports open, reproducible, and rigorous research practices through infrastructure, training, and community. ARIS and COS both serve as nonprofit infrastructure providers advancing research practice and culture change, with overlapping training programs and community platforms.
• Council on Governmental Relations (COGR): COGR is an association of research universities and affiliated medical centers that addresses the regulatory and compliance environment for research administration. COGR is a direct peer in the federal-policy and research-compliance space that ARIS's Broader Impacts programming depends on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/arisimpacts.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrMYG6klygqNIovLmuCIwVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/arisimpacts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aris-impacts
• Instagraminstagram.com/arisimpacts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ARIS Impacts