Financial sustainability is necessary for independent publishing. Transparency and separation of roles are necessary for credibility.
Permitted support
The Mandamus may receive general support, project grants, research funding, event support, reader donations and institutional services consistent with its mission and applicable law.
Prohibited influence
- No supporter may approve or veto an article’s conclusion.
- No contribution purchases coverage, favourable treatment or publication.
- Sponsored opinion and undisclosed native advertising are not accepted.
- Editorial criticism of a supporter is not prohibited by the funding relationship.
Disclosure practice
Material funding for a series, symposium, research project or event is disclosed on the relevant page and, where necessary, on individual publications. General institutional support is disclosed in a durable public record.
Partnerships
Academic, civil-society and professional partnerships may support events, calls for papers, research or distribution. Written arrangements should define editorial control, branding, data responsibility and publication rights.
Launch disclosure
Before public launch, this page should identify the journal’s current material funders, in-kind service providers and active editorial partnerships. Where there are none, the page should say so expressly.
Categories of support
Support may be unrestricted, project-restricted, event-specific, in-kind or reader-funded. The disclosure should identify the supporter, nature of support, relevant period and project connection where material. In-kind support includes hosting, professional services, venues, software, research assistance and distribution supplied without ordinary charge.
Due diligence
Before accepting significant support, the publisher should consider the source of funds, legal compliance, reputation, conflicts, conditions, data access, branding expectations and whether association would reasonably undermine editorial credibility. Conditions inconsistent with editorial independence must be refused.
Restricted projects and commissioned research
A grant may define a broad public-interest subject, deliverable or period. It may not predetermine findings, require favourable treatment, select conclusions or prevent disclosure of material limitations. Any right of pre-publication review should be confined to factual accuracy, confidentiality or legal obligations and must not become editorial approval.
Events and partnerships
Event sponsors and partners are disclosed. Speaker selection, questions, recordings and resulting publications remain subject to editorial judgment. A partner’s logo or participation does not imply endorsement of every view expressed.
Reporting practice
The production page should maintain a current list of material supporters and partnerships and may publish an annual transparency summary. Where no external material support exists, that fact should be stated. Individual articles or series carry additional disclosure when a general list would not make the relationship sufficiently clear.
Funding questions
Can a law firm or corporation fund the journal?
Only after due diligence and on terms that preserve complete editorial control. Funding does not purchase coverage, access to confidential drafts or protection from criticism.
May contributors pay a publication fee?
No fee purchases publication. If the journal ever uses a transparent administrative charge for a separate service, it must be unrelated to acceptance and include appropriate waiver safeguards.
Are small donations individually listed?
Not necessarily. The publication may disclose aggregate reader support while separately naming material donors where required by policy, law or the significance of the relationship.