The study aims to identify the “management models” used by research centers to improve public policies in the areas of poverty, gender and education. The following questions were addressed: What is the use of the knowledge generated by research centers in areas such as education (which represents one sector), poverty (which is related to multiple sectors) and gender (transverse to several sectors)? What are the mechanisms used to inform the national government? What mechanisms could be more effective in terms of promoting “scientific advice”? The study was carried out according to a conceptual framework that recognizes different moments in the use of research: the “ladder of use”. The evidence comes from the systematization of behaviors declared by: researchers, intermediaries and “policy makers”.