Making science usable for solving societal problems may require changes to the way research is practiced and funded. For example, there is growing belief that incorporating end-users into the research process will increase the use of resulting knowledge, among other benefits. And, increasingly, funders of research are considering rules that encourage or require some form of end-user participation in the research they sponsor. But how do these changes affect the research and its use for societal benefit? Drawing upon the history of funded research within NERRS as a natural experiment, this research examines how changes in NERRS funding shaped research practice and how closer interactions between scientists and end-users influenced the ultimate end-uses of research.