The formulation of a strategic plan and resourcing to develop a policy research functional community to promote and address the ongoing concerns of the community. [...] At its core, this would mean redefining and realigning the function to provide policy makers with the best timely, accurate, and relevant knowledge and information possible, and to contribute to the broader policy development process an evidence-based foundation for informed and inclusive policy dialogue. [...] The purpose of this report is to develop a better understanding of the policy research function in the federal government and its potential to help address the challenges and opportunities of the future. [...] It explores how forces of change are affecting the conduct of policy research; the future of the function and the changing nature of policy research work; the composition of the policy research workforce, and the projected competencies for future policy researchers. [...] Most federal departments make a distinction between policy research (gathering and testing the data and information) and policy analysis (contextualization, deriving implications and considerations for decision makers from the data and information) both organizationally and functionally.