VERITY Recommendations for Fostering Trust in Science: Science Funders

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What is this about?

This resource provides recommendations for Science Funders—public and private agencies, philanthropic organisations, and advocacy bodies—on how to foster trust in science. It highlights systemic challenges such as short-term funding models, rigid evaluation metrics, and limited support for socially relevant or interdisciplinary research. The guidance emphasises embedding transparency, societal relevance, open science, and public engagement into funding practices. By adopting flexible, equitable, and accountable approaches, funders can strengthen science’s responsiveness, integrity, and credibility, reinforcing public trust in research.

Why is this important?

Science funders are powerful Stewards of Trust, as their decisions shape not only which research is conducted but also how science is perceived by society. Current funding systems are often challenged by prioritising short-term outputs, reinforcing inequalities, and failing to incentivise openness, inclusivity, or public engagement. Evaluation frameworks that focus narrowly on publications and metrics discourage interdisciplinary, socially relevant, and co-created research. Concentration of resources in already well-resourced institutions further deepens inequities, while underfunding independent journalism and open dissemination limits transparency and accountability.

The recommendations in this resource are important because they reorient funding frameworks toward practices that build durable societal trust. By embedding transparency, societal relevance, and accountability into funding criteria, funders can support open science, citizen science, and science communication. Flexible grant schemes that allow long-term collaboration and compensate community contributions ensure that science remains connected to societal needs. Funders also play a critical role in safeguarding integrity by requiring disclosure of conflicts of interest, supporting independent validation, and promoting equitable access to research infrastructures.

Ultimately, funding systems that reward openness, collaboration, and inclusivity not only improve research outcomes but also strengthen societal trust in science.

For whom is this important?

FundersAll stakeholders in science funding

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