An international meeting convened by the International Science Council (ISC) and hosted by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences this week tackled that question, as representatives from over 90 science funders – development agencies, private foundations, governments – gathered to develop a shared vision of how science can help achieve the goals. Sessions explored challenges faced by science systems in striving to meet sustainable development goals, how strategic partnerships can help navigate these challenges, and how to maximizing the impact of research investments.