The puzzle of how to connect research with policy and practice is a vital area for scientific inquiry. The William T. Grant Foundation believes that attempts to improve the use of research evidence in policy and practice should be subject to rigorous theory building and empirical analysis. The stakes are high for the research community: If we do not understand what it takes for research to be used, then research will always stay on the proverbial shelf (or website)--far from the action of policy deliberations and decision-making. In this essay, the author reflects on the Foundation's initiative on the use of research evidence: the progress made by grantees and others in the field and the challenges that remain in building a rigorous field of study that spans the globe. The essay ends with reflections for the future, drawing inspiration from collaboration with the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Transforming Evidence Funders Network, a collective of public and private funders working to make research more useful, used, and impactful in meeting today's global challenges--from education to the environment, and from foreign policy to global health.