Do stakeholders, as well as patients, have to be included in the Engagement Plan?

Yes. The relevant stakeholders should be engaged as project partners. Applicants must explicitly identify each team member’s role in their proposal. If applicants intend to exclude certain stakeholders, they should be explicit on why their perspectives are not relevant.

Applicants should demonstrate that the stakeholders central to the proposed project are engaged with project planning and execution, and have appropriately informed the implementation strategy and other relevant aspects of the project.

Project stakeholders also include those at proposed implementation sites. Applicants should:

• Describe how front‐line staff, care providers, and leadership of host delivery settings have been included in the development of the proposal.
• Demonstrate the commitment of those at the leadership level as well as those responsible for delivering the intervention or directly supporting the implementation activities, to participate as meaningful partners throughout the implementation project.

Applicants should also demonstrate involvement of relevant regional and national stakeholder organizations whose support will be critical to extending the impact of the evidence being implemented to broader venues beyond the proposed project.