Unlocked Issue 1 | January 2024

January 12, 2024

Welcome to Unlocked

The Gates Foundation Open Access Newsletter 

At the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we are steadfast in our commitment to transparency and the widespread dissemination of information. Embracing this ethos, we proudly champion an Open Access (OA) policy that ensures the unimpeded accessibility and reuse of all peer-reviewed research funded, in part or in whole, by the foundation We believe that knowledge should not be confined but rather liberated, fostering collaboration, innovation, and progress. For a deeper understanding of our policy and invaluable guidance through the compliance process, we invite you to explore further at www.openaccess.gatesfoundation.org. Through this newsletter, we aim to provide updates and insights into the OA policy and projects at the foundation.  

Spotlight: Journal Checker Tool

The Journal Checker Tool www.journalcheckertool.org is a free online tool provided by cOAlition S www.coalition-s.org to support authors in finding Plan S compliant routes to publish their articles.  As the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation is a supporter of Plan S,  the tool will help you to find out what publishing options are aligned with the foundation’s Open Access Policy.   It is important to know your options and routes to compliance before submitting an article to a journal.  

If you think you have submitted to, or been accepted by a journal with a non-compliant route or if you have any questions about compliance options and your journal, contact [email protected].

Do You Know Your Grant Number?

Your Gates foundation grant number helps to identify the foundation as a funder for your publication. It allows the foundation to identify you as a grantee and verify your publications’ compliance with the foundation Open Access policy.  

When you do not include and reference your correct grant number: 

  • Your submitted articles may not be eligible for OA fee coverage, leaving you to find coverage for any OA fees.
     
  • Publication of your article may be delayed while publishers and the foundation wait for you to submit a valid grant number.  
     
  • Your publication may not show as being compliant with the foundation’s Open Access Policy 

​​​​Your grant number will begin with INV (Investment) followed by a series of numbers. Older grants may also start with OPP (Opportunity). If your grant has been renewed it is preferable to use the INV number.  

If you don’t know your grant number? 

  • Grantees should check their grant documentation, consult with the grant’s PI (principal investigator), or contact their PO (foundation program officer).
     
  • Subgrantees will need the original Gates grant number. Consult with your grants PI (principal investigator) or contact your primary contact for the grant. 

Remember to use the correct grant number for your publication guessing or using other grant numbers can negatively affect compliance or coverage of eligible fees.  For questions, contact [email protected].   

Start the Year Out Right! 

Here are a few things to help your journey to OA policy compliance.