Publication Fee Support

Publication Fee Support Guidelines

The Professional Development (PD) Core maintains dedicated funds to support publication fees for Alliance-related research outputs. Alliance staff, awardees, and investigators affiliated with an Alliance institution—as well as approved external collaborators—with a new or active Alliance-supported study may request support through the Online Request Services portal.

The Alliance recognizes that Article Processing Charges (APCs) have increased substantially in recent years, creating a significant financial burden for investigators. Because these costs can strain limited PD Core resources, publication support must be allocated responsibly and in alignment with Alliance priorities.

Requirements and Considerations

Coverage Level:

Publication fees may be fully or partially covered depending on:

• Availability of Professional Development Core funds

• Investigator eligibility

• Availability or limitations of other funding sources

Priority may be given to:

• Early-career investigators

• Alliance-led manuscripts

• Studies lacking alternative funding

Journal Requirements

Eligible journals must be:

• Peer-reviewed

• Demonstrably reputable, with strong quality indicators (e.g., impact factor, indexing, relevant metrics)

The Alliance may decline support for journals with APCs considered excessively high relative to disciplinary norms.

Cost-Conscious Publishing

Applicants are encouraged to:

• Compare APCs across journals

• Explore lower-cost or no-cost publishing options

• Consider reputable journals with reasonable APCs

• Utilize compliant green open-access (self-archiving) options when applicable

Application Requirements

Applicants must upload the following documentation:

• The journal’s acceptance letter

• The official publication fee quote

Justification of Need

Due to elevated APCs, applicants must include a brief justification describing:

• Why Alliance support is necessary

• What efforts were made to identify or secure other potential funding sources

Cost Limits

In alignment with NIH guidance, the Alliance is considering implementation of a cap on allowable publication costs. Requests exceeding this limit may:

• Require additional justification, or

• Be deemed ineligible for full coverage

Investigators are encouraged to review the NIH Notice “Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs” (NOT-OD-25-138).

Stewardship of Funds

As APCs continue to rise, the Alliance is committed to maximizing research impact while supporting as many investigators as possible. Responsible and equitable allocation of publication support remains essential to this commitment.