Flu Lab Communications Guidelines

Introduction

Flu Lab is proud to support the work of our funding recipients, and we believe in the value of highlighting their progress and sharing their successes with the public. We are committed to ensuring that research aimed at improving our world is accessible, that our support for our funding recipients' work is represented accurately and respectfully in all communications, and that we maintain timely and open communication about media engagement. These guidelines are intended to support your efforts to share and garner visibility for your work, while ensuring that Flu Lab is appropriately acknowledged as the funder and that communications about the research remain clear, accurate, and aligned. Please contact us at info@theflulab.org with any questions.

Open Access Publication

We believe that research supported by Flu Lab funding should be easily accessible by the global community. To ensure broad and immediate impact, we support full Open Access (OA) for all funded work. We ask our funding recipients to prioritize transparency by promptly sharing Flu Lab-funded manuscripts in the form of a preprint and publishing in peer-reviewed OA journals. If your institution does not have a publisher agreement or dedicated OA funds, reach out to us – we are here to help support your publication goals.

Use of Flu Lab Name in Manuscripts and Other Public-Facing Materials

We request that our support be acknowledged in any manuscript, article, academic paper, presentation, social media post, or website content that results from your Flu Lab-funded work. Proper acknowledgment is important to us, as it ensures transparency about the funding source.

As stated in our grant and investment terms, all funding recipients must request and receive written permission before using our name publicly.

Below are the key items to keep in mind when using our name.

  • Acknowledgment: We expect to be acknowledged as the funder of your project, program, or organization. The acknowledgment should be phrased clearly and in accordance with the guidelines provided below.

  • Approval Process: As stated in our grant and investment terms, all funding recipients must obtain written permission before using our name publicly. Before submitting any manuscript or other public-facing materials for publication, we ask that you share them with us for approval of how Flu Lab is mentioned. This will help ensure the acknowledgment is accurate and aligned with our expectations.

  • Review Timeline: We request that all materials be shared with us at casey@theflulab.org and julie@theflulab.org one to two weeks in advance of submission to allow for a thorough review. In most cases, we can provide feedback and/or approval more quickly, but please factor this timeline into your planning for all submissions and publications.

Guidelines for Flu Lab Naming

Our organization has specific language for how we should be mentioned. We should be referred to as Flu Lab; no other variations of this are accurate. Flu Lab should be identified as an organization and not as a philanthropy, philanthropic organization, or foundation. Options for how we can be named as a funder include:

  • “(Name of funding recipient) received a (size of funding) grant (investment) from Flu Lab, an organization founded to advance innovative approaches for the prevention and treatment of influenza.”

  • “(Name of funding recipient’s program) is funded by Flu Lab. Through grants and investments, Flu Lab supports efforts to advance innovative approaches for the prevention and treatment of influenza.

  • “This work was supported, in whole or in part, by Flu Lab.”

Use of Flu Lab Name in Press Releases

We fully support our funding recipients in announcing new funding or support through press releases. When referencing our organization in your press release, please adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Press Release Announcements: You are welcome to issue a press release announcing new funding and a project's accomplishments. Please make sure to accurately reference our support for your project.

  • Guidelines for Acknowledgment: Our organization has specific language for how we should be mentioned. Please see the Guidelines section above for our specific guidance—it applies to any public-facing communication medium.

  • Quotes: We do not provide quotes for press releases, although we are happy to be acknowledged as the funder. Please use the appropriate wording based on the provided guidelines.

  • Approval Process: Prior to finalizing any press release, please send it to us for review and approval. This ensures the language is aligned with our expectations.

  • Review Timeline: We kindly request that all materials be shared with us at casey@theflulab.org and julie@theflulab.org two weeks in advance of submission to allow for a thorough review. In most cases, we will provide feedback and/or approval more quickly, but please factor this timeline into your planning for all submissions and communications.

  • Editorial Input: We are happy to provide feedback if you would like editorial input on your press release or other longer pieces of writing. We want to ensure that all messaging aligns with our organization’s values and goals, even though our aim is to have public materials focused on you and the work we are supporting.

Use of Flu Lab Logo

Our logo is an important part of our brand identity, and we want to ensure it is used correctly. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Downloadable Files: We provide high-resolution versions of our logo for use in presentations, websites, donor lists, and other materials. These files are available upon request.

  • Notification of Use: Before using our logo, please inform us in advance of where and how it will be used. This can be done when you request a high-resolution file.

Managing Media

  • Media Inquiries: We prefer that our grantees handle all media inquiries related to a project or funding, as it helps keep the focus on your important work. We will not do media interviews or speak with reporters; however, we would appreciate advance notice when you plan to speak with the media about your Flu Lab-funded work.
  • What You Can Share: You are welcome to share the amount of your Flu Lab funding with the media. Please refrain from sharing any additional information about Flu Lab, such as the names of anyone associated with Flu Lab or other grants we have made.
  • Media Questions: Should you receive additional questions about Flu Lab, please direct them to our website and our info@theflulab.org email address. It is important to advise us of any media questions about Flu Lab so we can prepare for inquiries.

  • Social Media Restrictions: To help manage visibility, we ask that grantees refrain from tagging Flu Lab or linking to our social media channels in posts or announcements. If such tags or links appear, we may request that they be removed.

  • Broader Reputation Risks: Grantees are expected to promptly notify Flu Lab of any situation that could reasonably be expected to generate significant controversy or negative media coverage involving our grantees. Please reach out to casey@theflulab.org and julie@theflulab.org as soon as such a situation arises. These include:

  1. Regulatory or judicial investigations
  2. Allegations of misconduct or ethical violations
  3. Issues related to financial mismanagement, governance, or compliance

Acknowledging Funding Recipients in Flu Lab Public Communications

We value our relationship with funding recipients and are committed to respecting any guidelines you may have about how your name is used in our public communications. With your permission, we generally limit our communications to acknowledging our funding recipients on our website.

  • Permission-Based Acknowledgement: We will always seek permission before naming your organization or project on our website or in any public-facing materials.

  • Reciprocal Guidelines: Please share with us specific guidelines on how your name should be represented or any other preferences for how we mention your organization. We are happy to reciprocate and ensure that your name and work are presented in a manner consistent with your communications standards.

Proud to be Your Partner

In conclusion, we are proud to be part of your important work and want to ensure that our support is accurately and respectfully represented in all communications. By following these guidelines, you help us maintain the integrity of our relationship while allowing your organization to shine as the true focus of public communications.

Thank you for your attention to these guidelines and for your collaboration in spreading the message of your impactful work!

Have questions? You can reach us at info@theflulab.org.