After engaging with stakeholders on several occasions, SSHRC will implement new parameters for the Aid to Scholarly Journals (ASJ) funding opportunity in 2018 that demonstrate SSHRC’s commitment to the government’s Open Science agenda; including the adoption of an open access model (full or 12-month embargo period); providing funding for innovation as well as an incentive for journals to switch to Canadian not-for-profit content and distribution platforms in order to assist in the maintenance and development of this sector in Canada.
Key changes:
- requirement that journals be fully Open Access (OA) or have an embargo period no greater than 12 months
- transition period of 2 years available to comply with OA requirement
- higher per-article funding rate for journals that do not charge fees to publish OA ($1,050 vs. $850)
- $5K per annum available for both journal innovation and to contribute to costs associated with Canadian content and distribution platforms*
- SSHRC will open eligibility to journals of which at least 1/3 of the core editorial board is affiliated with a Canadian institution and/or to journals that can demonstrate that their titles are owned by Canadian not-for-profit organizations.
- Streamlined application form
Important dates:
- Late June: detailed funding opportunity description posted on SSHRC website
- Mid-July: Streamlined application form available
- August: webinar for applicants
- September 10: competition deadline
- January 2019: Adjudication meetings
- March 2019: results
For more information, contact scholarlyjournals@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
*Defined as: head office in Canada; not-for-profit; offers integrated technical services that meet international standards related to data and metadata processing, workflow management and use of publishing tools, dissemination (distribution, interoperability, referencing, harvesting, metrics); hosts more than 20 scholarly journals
photo credit: Jill Bazeley The new fishing pier at Smyrna Dunes Park. via photopin (license)
