Acknowledging CIHR support and promoting your research

The more people hear about your research, the more they become interested, and an engaged public is a supportive public!

Canadians have a voracious appetite when it comes to health research. The more we share your stories and attract attention to research advances and what CIHR does, the more we build public support for the entire health research enterprise – support that can translate to sustained and increased funding for health research.

Let your audience know that you are funded by CIHR

As a recipient of CIHR funding, you must acknowledge, verbally and/or in writing (depending on the context), the support you receive from CIHR and the role it has played in your research.

Acknowledging CIHR funding is important because it helps Canadians understand how their tax dollars are furthering your work.

For example, if you, your institution or a funding partner:

• makes a presentation or gives a speech, seminar or workshop;
• receives an honour, or award;
• acts as a spokesperson for media on an issue of public importance;
• promotes your research at conferences, in publications or through advertising/public relations activities.

Ways to acknowledge our funding

For all scientific articles, the CIHR acknowledgement must include your Funding Reference Number (FRN).  

Additionally, CIHR asks that, when you promote your research, you and your institution:

• use its official name: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR);
• when acknowledging one of our 13 Institutes, identify it as CIHR Institute – for instance, CIHR Institute of Genetics;
• use its official logos;
• insert a quote from a CIHR official into the press release, or any other communications materials.
• Tag CIHR in your social media posts.

Acknowledgement statement

You can acknowledge our support in many different ways. Here is some suggested wording:

(CIHR logo) The (name of program, project or event) is/was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

The logo and/or organizational name can also be placed in an acknowledgement list with other partners/funders.

CIHR Communications – At your service

We can help you.

CIHR Communications has extensive experience in the areas of media relations, social media, government relations, strategic communications, writing, editing, event planning and coordination.

If you are a principal investigator, let us know when you are about to hit a milestone in your research – at least five days in advance. Work with CIHR and your institution to promote your work.

If you are a research institution or a funding partner, provide input to CIHR communications materials for funding announcements, share health research success stories with CIHR, send a copy of publications, media coverage, advertising and other promotional material, invite us to provide a federal representative at events, conferences or other public activity promoting health research and give credit to CIHR for funding or co-funding a research project.

We can:

• set up interviews with the media;
• promote your project or program on social media and in other products;
• raise awareness with partners or parliamentarians;
• work with you on funding announcements and events; and
• help identify and increase promotion and outreach opportunities.

Date modified:

2022-03-22