Guidelines for Grantees on Use of the Foundation Name & Brand

This document provides guidelines to granteesfor using the foundation’s name, logo, or other communications assets.

Whether you are a first-time grantee or a long standing partner, we appreciate your hard work and commitment and look forward to supporting your efforts.

Overview of Review Process

  • The foundation does not require grantees to acknowledge the foundation in materials or publicize the foundation’s grant, either through the media or through other communications channels.
  • As outlined in your grant agreement, the foundation reviews any grantee materials that include the foundation’s name. This includes but is not limited to press releases, brochures, websites, newsletters, and annual reports.
  • We request ten (10) business days to review materials.
  • Please complete the Grantee Communications Request form if you are planning on issuing a press release or require approval for brand materials. This helps prepare us for your request so we can manage it as quickly as possible. When you submit the request, please include:
  • Grant ID, name of the program officer, Word document draft of materials
  • Grant announcement strategy, if applicable
  • The foundation will review your materials and respond with suggested edits and/or approval.
  • Information about the grant must remain confidential and should not be announced publicly until the grant agreement has been signed and returned to the foundation.
  • If you decide to make an announcement, you are responsible for developing the announcement strategy and documents.

Guidelines for use of the Foundation Name

Grant announcements

  • When spelling out the “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” please use the ampersand, rather than spelling out “and”Please use “the foundation” (lowercase) in later references, rather than abbreviating the name to BMGF. “Gates Foundation” can be used when necessary for clarification.
  • The foundation’s boilerplate language should not appear in grantee announcements.
  • The foundation’s logo should not be used in grantee announcements.
  • Thefoundation’s employees will not provide quotes for grantee announcements.
  • The foundation’s nameshould not be used in the headline of the press release unless it is a joint release with the foundation. However, our name may be used in a subheadline.
  • Sentences should not lead with the foundation’s name
  • Incorrect: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given a grant to Duke University for malaria vaccine development.
  • Correct: X University receives grant for malaria vaccine development from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Subgrantees

  • Subgrantees may not use the foundation’s name in a manner that creates the impression that they are direct recipients of foundation funds. Materials from subgrantees should be routed through the grantee for approval.

Digital Communications

  • The same guidelines apply when using the foundation’s name in social media, blogs, and Twitteras they do for the communications materials mentioned above, with the following exception:
  • After a grant announcement is approved by the foundation, a grantee may post verbatim excerpts from that announcement without additional approvals.

Foundation logo, photographs or video

  • Grantees may use the foundation’s logo, photos or video after they receive approval from the foundation. These requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and should be submitted through the Grantee Communications Request form.
  • Generally acceptable uses of the foundation logo include: posting it on a grantee’s web site, and promotional and conference materials that note project sponsorship.
  • If grantees download the foundation’s logo, photos or video, they acknowledge the foundation’s ownership (and its associated goodwill) and agree to maintain the quality of the materials at a level that meets or exceeds standards of quality and performance of similar materials previously offered by grantees and in compliance with applicable law.

Foundation URL ()

  • Grantees may link to the foundation’sweb site after they receive approval from the foundation. These requests should be submitted through the Grantee Communications Request form.

Media Requests

  • If you are concerned about media coverage your project has received or might receive,or believe a reporter’s question is better answered by the foundation, please let us know. Those requests should be routed to (and copy your program officer).

Guidelines for Grantee CommunicationsPage 1 of 2 Revised 01 Sep 2018