The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum has published the white paper "Design and Social Impact: A cross-sectoral agenda for design education, research and practice." The report is an extension of the 2012 Social Impact Design Summit, which addressed strategies and actions to advance the field of socially responsible design—particularly in disadvantaged communities. A panel discussion on February 21 delved into the white paper’s findings and proposals, resulting in five key recommendations:

• Expand networks to learn from others in the socially responsible design community
• Use storytelling to communicate the role of design in creating social change
• Build a “culture of evaluation” that demonstrates the long-term impact of design initiatives
• Form coalitions with social impact design programs within universities, as well as informal teaching environments (both physical and online)
• Create alternative funding opportunities to enable ongoing support and innovation

The National Endowment for the Arts Design Program will host a webinar series developed by thought leaders that expands the conversation on effective design for social impact. To learn more, visit www.arts.gov.