Open Science and the Future of Research

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At The Navigation Fund, knowledge funded through philanthropy belongs to the public. Research aimed at improving our world should not be inaccessible, delayed, or paywalled. The challenges go beyond just access: today’s publishing system often rewards prestige over usefulness, slows down dissemination through closed review processes, and locks discoveries into rigid, static formats that limit reuse and collaboration. We believe research should instead be openly shared, promptly distributed, and structured to maximize understanding, application, debate, and innovation.

We expect the science we fund to embody these values through open, accessible research practices. Our funding priorities emphasize public benefit and real-world impact over traditional academic metrics.

We are still committed to funding cutting-edge research, but we want that research to be built for openness, reuse, and broad usefulness from the start. A more effective research ecosystem is both achievable and essential. We are dedicated to building this system, beginning with the work we fund.

Starting in July of 2026, TNF will be updating our grant agreements to ensure our funding serves our commitment to Open Science. We will expect our grantee partners to:

Focus TNF time and funding on:

  • Research designed for immediate open sharing rather than traditional journal publications
  • Direct, open publication of findings and outputs as they become ready for community use
  • Maximizing research impact and accessibility rather than satisfying arcane journal requirements
  • Publishing outputs as soon as they are ready for reuse, with all underlying materials (code, data, presentations) made openly available when referenced publicly or shared with TNF
  • Using appropriate open licenses (CC-BY, MIT, CC0) to maximize reuse potential
  • Depositing research outputs in FAIR-compliant venues with a Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

TNF funding should not be used for:

  • Research activities primarily intended to meet journal reviewer and editor expectations
  • Paying journal article processing fees (APCs)
  • Delaying publication of TNF-funded work to accommodate journal submission timelines

TNF-funded time should not be used for:

  • Contributing to journal publications as a peer reviewer or journal editor
  • Contributing (whether as an author or otherwise) directly to the creation of journal publications

We recognize that this represents a significant shift from current norms, and we do not yet know the full shape of the system that will replace journals. Our goal is not to prescribe one model, but to create space for experimentation. By stepping outside of journals, we hope to catalyze new ways of sharing science that are faster, more transparent, and more impactful.

We are implementing this policy thoughtfully, with a grace period for current grantees and open communication with all researchers who may be affected. We value our partnerships and want to ensure a smooth transition to open science practices.