The integrated Canada Biomedical Research Fund and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund (CBRF-BRIF) public communications guidelines for institutions


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Public announcements of funding

When can we publicly announce our CBRF-BRIF grant?

In keeping with standard Government of Canada practice, funding decisions are considered under embargo and should not be disseminated internally or announced to the public in any form (including websites, blogs, social media, in media interviews, etc.) until the Government of Canada has made an official public announcement. Working in consultation with the minister’s office, the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS) and Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) will jointly lead public announcements for the CBRF-BRIF funding in order to gain maximum media exposure for all involved parties.

When can we hold a public funding announcement at our institution?

You may schedule a public announcement or event at your institution after the Government of Canada’s official public announcement. We ask that you email both the TIPS and CFI communications teams of your plans for any echo announcements and events related to the integrated CBRF-BRIF so we can amplify across our channels. We may ask your institution, as a recipient, to host the national announcement or an echo announcement associated with the national announcement.

Does a Government of Canada representative need to be present at a public funding announcement held at an institution?

A Government of Canada representative should be invited to public announcements and other major institutional events related to CBRF-BRIF. In most instances, a local member of Parliament or regional minister will represent the Government of Canada.

For any of the following, contact both the TIPS and CFI communications teams:

Note that you can increase the likelihood of securing a local member of Parliament or minister to attend your event if you hold it when the House of Commons is not sitting.

Acknowledgement in professional communications, publications, presentations and conference materials

Acknowledgements of support from the integrated CBRF-BRIF in professional communications are similar to those established by Canada’s Public Communications Policy, a joint policy of the three federal research funding agencies and followed by the CFI.

Only once the announcement has been publicly made by the Government of Canada can you formally identify and acknowledge the integrated CBRF-BRIF contribution to your initiative in all professional publications, manuscripts, presentations and conference materials. Use the following wording for the acknowledgement:

“This initiative was undertaken thanks in part to funding from the Canada Biomedical Research Fund and/or Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund.”

When members of research and administration teams of funded initiatives are invited to speak publicly, we ask you to also ensure the official event documentation (e.g., program, scenario, pamphlets, advertisements, etc.) identifies and acknowledges the integrated CBRF-BRIF contribution to the sponsored activities. When you give a speech or presentation, we ask that you mention the CBRF-BRIF contribution and its benefits to Canadians and to Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy.

Media, publicity and outreach

To maximize the CBRF-BRIF’s visibility and public accountability, institutions are encouraged to publicly share activities and successes related to CBRF-BRIF (e.g., website and social media posts, media interviews, etc.) following the Government of Canada announcement. This information remains under embargo and should only be shared on multimedia platforms after the announcement. Tag TIPS (@TIPS_SPIIE on Twitter and @TIPS-SPIIE on LinkedIn), the CFI (@InnovationCA on Twitter and LinkedIn) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) (@CdnScience and @ScienceCdn on Twitter and LinkedIn) so we can amplify further.

Security considerations

When planning your communication activities, keep in mind that there may be risks involved including, but not limited to, theft, interference or unwanted transfer of knowledge and results in ways that individuals, teams and organizations do not intend. It is important to be aware of potential research security risks and to take the necessary steps and precautions to ensure that all information is shared in a secure manner. For more information on research security, refer to the Government of Canada’s Safeguarding Your Research website.

Links to the integrated Canada Biomedical Research Fund and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund website

Are we required to hyperlink to the CBRF-BRIF website from our website and in our electronic public relations materials?

Yes. We ask that all institutions provide a link to the CBRF-BRIF website (/funding-financement/cbrf-frbc/overview-apercu-eng.aspx) on their institution’s website and in any electronic public relations materials, including news releases, emails and newsletters. By doing this, you will be reinforcing the partnership between the CBRF-BRIF program and your institution, and directing people to the primary source of information.

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