Support
Funding
The USC Schaeffer Institute is supported by funding from a wide variety of public and private institutions and donors. Regardless of the funding source, USC Schaeffer Institute research adheres to the following standards:
- The work should reflect our mission and values. The relevant values here are rigor, objectivity and independence.
- The work should be well-reasoned, with a sound evidence basis. It should synthesize all available evidence, not just studies favorable to a particular policy position.
- The work should avoid strident language which denigrates our academic roots.
The USC Schaeffer Institute encourages its members to engage with the policy community and, as such, supports the dissemination of our independent findings through academic publications, opinion pieces, briefings, meetings, editorials, presentations and blog posts. When speaking or writing as a member of the Schaeffer Institute, individuals are asked to maintain the standards set out above. Furthermore, when accepting funding that is not a gift, USC Schaeffer Institute researchers preserve the right to publish by contract with the funder. In all instances, the Institute:
- Encourages peer-review of all research
- Discloses sponsorships in publications and on our website
- Maintains a diverse advisory board with broad perspectives
- Ensures all stakeholders have a voice in research and policy activities
Gifts, by definition, do not include restrictions on research or publication.