Communicating the Value of Health Research: CIHR Guidelines on Public Communication
Why communicate with the public about CIHR-funded research?
Everyone has a stake in promoting CIHR-funded health research.
Year after year, polls show that health is a top priority for most Canadians. From prevention and diagnosis to treatment and care, Canadians want to hear about the promising discoveries and exciting developments taking place in health research. Canadians also want to know that their tax dollars are used judiciously.
As a federal government agency, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) must demonstrate to Canadians the exceptional value and importance of health research to maintain or increase its current level of funding and, in turn, be able to augment its support to researchers and trainees.
Communicating the value of health research contributes to Canadians' understanding of the role that health researchers play in improving health and quality of life. It also helps build acceptance for health research and, over the long term, will help secure public support for increased health research funding.
Together, we can demonstrate the exceptional value and importance of health research to Canadians.
CIHR Public Affairs - We're here to help!
CIHR Public Affairs is happy to help researchers, institutions and funding partners promote health research. The team has extensive experience in the areas of media relations, government relations, strategic communications, event planning and coordination, and can liaise with creative services and translation. They can offer advice and guidance on:
- communicating with the public, media or specialized audiences;
- reviewing and approving content and design of promotional materials and speeches related to CIHR-funded research; and
- having appropriate materials posted on the CIHR Web site.
Funding Announcements
Announcements of funding for grants and awards are an excellent opportunity for researchers, institutions, funding partners and CIHR to work together to inform the public of health research investments.
Research Developments and Results
Research developments and results present a great opportunity to highlight to Canadians a return on the investment of research dollars. Opportunities to publicize research developments and results occur on an ongoing basis.
Other Communications Initiatives
CIHR requests that it be acknowledged as a funder when a CIHR-funded researcher, institution or funding partner:
- makes an interim presentation or gives a speech, seminar or workshop related to his/her work;
- wins an honour or award related to his/her work;
- acts as a spokesperson for media on an issue of public importance;
- promotes the research at conferences, in publications or through advertising/public relations activities.
Roles and Responsibilities
Working collaboratively on public communications, particularly funding announcements and announcements of research developments and results, can leverage resources, avoid duplication and ensure complementary efforts and messages.
CIHR communications and principal investigators, institutions, and partners have different roles to play to make all of our communications efforts a success.
CIHR (Public Affairs Unit)
- Coordinate announcements at the national and regional levels.
- Liaise with the Office of the Minister of Health to secure a federal spokesperson (essential for funding announcements).
- Develop media and promotional materials such as news releases, backgrounders and speeches for funding announcements and solicit input from funding partners, researchers and institutions involved.
- Work with researchers, institutions and funding partners to either develop or provide input to media and promotional materials on exciting research developments or results.
- Assist whenever possible in promoting stories to the media, posting or linking relevant Web material and providing access to lists of relevant experts or spokespersons.
Principal Investigators
- Notify your institution's communications or public affairs unit of your success once informed of CIHR funding decisions.
- For funding announcements, you may be asked to review communications material and act as spokesperson at events.
- Inform CIHR whenever research developments or discoveries will be published and work in conjunction with CIHR and your institution to promote the findings.
- Coordinate with your institution to share health research success stories with CIHR and send a copy of publications, media coverage, advertising or other promotional material.
- Submit photos of yourself and research team members to CIHR's Communications office for use in promotional materials such as displays at conferences, in corporate publications or on the CIHR Web site. All photos should be 5x7 inch, colour in JPEG or TIF format that is at least 300 dpi. Head and shoulders shot should be taken against a white background.
Institutions (Communications or Public Affairs Unit)
- Provide input to CIHR communications materials for funding announcements, assist with event planning, coordination and logistics, secure spokespeople from the institution and help with media relations and media monitoring.
- Inform CIHR if research developments or discoveries are to be published and work in conjunction with researchers and all relevant funding partners, including CIHR, to promote the findings.
- Share health research success stories with CIHR and send a copy of publications, media coverage, advertising or other promotional material.
- Invite CIHR to provide a federal representative at events, conferences or other public activities promoting health research.
- Provide a link to the CIHR Web site (www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca) on both your Web site and any relevant print or electronic materials, including news releases, e-mail and newsletters.
Funding Partners (Communications or Public Affairs Unit)
- Work with CIHR in the development of funding announcement media and promotional materials such as news releases, backgrounders and speeches.
- When informed of research developments or results, work with researchers, institutions and CIHR to establish roles and responsibilities and either develop or provide input to media and promotional materials.
- Inform CIHR of relevant health research success stories.
- Assist whenever possible in pitching to media, securing a spokesperson from your organization to speak with media and attend events and posting or linking relevant Web material.
- Provide a link to the CIHR Web site (www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca) on both your Web site and any relevant print or electronic materials, including news releases, e-mail and newsletters.
Recognition for CIHR's Support
For the purpose of remaining transparent and accountable for public funds, CIHR requires that:
- its financial support be acknowledged in all forms of communication, including presentations, research reports and other publications, correspondence, news conferences, news releases, advertising and other material relating to its funded research;
- materials destined for media or the general public include a quote from a CIHR official, prominent acknowledgement of CIHR funding (e.g. first paragraph of a press release), inclusion of the CIHR logo and a standard description of CIHR;
- an appropriate level of visible recognition for CIHR be incorporated into printed or electronic materials relating to its funded research. This involves including the CIHR logo and corporate signature into presentations, publications, news releases, Web sites, advertising and promotional materials;
- the integrity of CIHR program and research team names must be respected in all public communications. Program and team names are defined in the application for funding process.
Contact CIHR Public Affairs
(613) 941-4563
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Cat. No.: Mr21-69/2006
ISBN: 0-662-69583-6
