Properly acknowledging funding sources is crucial for several reasons: it's often a contractual obligation, it demonstrates gratitude, ensures transparency, and can positively impact your chances for future funding.

Here's a comprehensive guide to acknowledging all funding sources properly:

The Essentials of Proper Funding Acknowledgments

1. Always Check Funder Guidelines First!

This is the golden rule. Every funding agency (e.g., NIH, NSF, Horizon Europe, Wellcome Trust, Gates Foundation, private foundations) has specific requirements for how their support should be acknowledged. These guidelines will specify:

• The exact wording to use.


• Whether to include the grant number, project title, or principal investigator's name.


• Where the acknowledgment should be placed (e.g., specific section of a publication, presentation slide).


• Sometimes, specific logos to use.


• Reporting requirements for publications resulting from the grant.

2. Key Components of an Acknowledgment:

Regardless of specific guidelines, a good acknowledgment generally includes:

• The Official Name of the Funding Organization: Use the full, correct name (e.g., "National Institutes of Health," not "NIH" unless specified).


• The Grant or Award Number: This is critical for tracking and compliance.


• A Statement of Support: Clearly state that the work was supported by the funder.


• Project Title (Optional but Recommended): Sometimes helpful for context, especially with multiple grants.


• Principal Investigator (PI) Name (Optional): If the grant is tied to a specific PI, it can be useful to include.


• A Disclaimer: This is crucial. It clarifies that the views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views or endorsement of the funding agency.

3. Standard Phrasing and Templates:

Here are some common and effective templates:

A. Simple Acknowledgment (Single Funder):

"This work was supported by [Full Name of Funding Organization] under grant [Grant/Award Number]."

B. More Detailed Acknowledgment (Single Funder):

"We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of [Full Name of Funding Organization] through grant [Grant/Award Number] for the project titled '[Project Title, if applicable]' awarded to [PI Name, if applicable]."

C. Acknowledgment with Disclaimer (Highly Recommended for all):

"This research was supported by [Full Name of Funding Organization] under grant [Grant/Award Number]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of [Full Name of Funding Organization]."

D. Acknowledging Specific Personnel/Fellowships:

"Dr. [Recipient's Name] was supported by a [Fellowship/Scholarship Name] from [Full Name of Funding Organization] (Grant/Award Number [if applicable])."

> "The efforts of [Specific Team/Individual] were partially supported by [Full Name of Funding Organization] under grant [Grant/Award Number]."

4. Acknowledging Multiple Funding Sources:

If your work is supported by more than one grant or organization, list them all clearly.

A. Combining Multiple Funders:

"This project was supported by [Funder 1 Name] under grant [Grant 1 Number], and by [Funder 2 Name] under grant [Grant 2 Number]."

> OR

> "The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from [Funder 1 Name] (Grant [Grant 1 Number]), [Funder 2 Name] (Grant [Grant 2 Number]), and [Funder 3 Name] (Grant [Grant 3 Number])."

B. With a Combined Disclaimer:

"This research was supported by [Funder 1 Name] (Grant [Grant 1 Number]) and [Funder 2 Name] (Grant [Grant 2 Number]). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding organizations."

Tips for Multiple Funders:

• Order: You can list them in order of contribution size, chronologically, alphabetically, or by perceived prestige – often funder guidelines dictate this. If not, consistency or logical flow is key.


• Clarity: Ensure it's clear which grant number belongs to which funder.

5. Acknowledging In-Kind Support:

Sometimes, support isn't monetary but comes in the form of equipment, data access, software, samples, or expert advice. This is called "in-kind" support and should also be acknowledged.

"We thank [Organization/Individual Name] for providing [specific in-kind support, e.g., 'access to their X-ray diffraction facility,' 'the proprietary dataset used in this study,' 'valuable feedback on the experimental design']."

6. Acknowledging Institutional Support (Indirect Funding):

If you receive funding through your institution (e.g., a university internal grant, start-up funds that originated from a larger institutional grant), it's good practice to acknowledge this.

"This work was supported in part by start-up funds from [Your Institution Name], and by a [Specific Institutional Grant Name] (Grant [if applicable])."

> "Dr. [Name] is supported by a [Postdoctoral Fellowship Name] from [Your Institution Name], which receives core funding from [Primary Funder of the institution, if known and relevant, e.g., 'National Science Foundation's CREST Program']."

7. Where to Place Acknowledgments:

• Journal Articles: Typically in a dedicated "Acknowledgments" section, usually found after the main body of the paper (e.g., after the Discussion/Conclusion) and before the References.


• Conference Presentations/Posters: A dedicated slide at the end, or a line in the footer of each slide/poster.


• Reports/Theses/Dissertations: Often in a dedicated "Acknowledgments" section, usually near the front after the Abstract/Table of Contents.


• Websites/Publicity Materials: On a "Funding" or "Support" page, or prominently displayed in relevant sections.


• Press Releases: Always include acknowledgment in press releases related to funded work.

8. General Best Practices:

• Be Specific: Clearly state what was supported.


• Be Concise: Keep the acknowledgment to the necessary information.


• Be Grateful: While formal, the underlying sentiment is appreciation.


• Proofread Carefully: Ensure all names, numbers, and spellings are correct.


• Update Regularly: If new funding is obtained for ongoing work, update your acknowledgments.


• Consult Your Grants Office: If you're unsure, your institution's grants and contracts office or research administration department is an excellent resource. They often have templated language specific to your institution and common funders.

By following these guidelines and, most importantly, always checking the specific requirements of each funding agency, you can ensure your funding and grant acknowledgments are proper, compliant, and appreciative.