Partner and funder names
It's important to write PATH partner and funder names as they prefer them.
In PATH publications, the names of our partners and funders as well as other global health organizations should follow their preferred capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. The following are a few examples and tips.
Examples of partner and funder names
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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Use Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on first mention, then Gates Foundation and/or the foundation (in all lowercase) on subsequent reference (not BMGF).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
If needed for clarity, place US before the name. CDC is the abbreviation.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
The former UK Department for International Development, or DFID, has merged with the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office to form a new office. The abbreviation is FCDO.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Use Gavi or the Vaccine Alliance on subsequent reference.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Note no serial comma. On subsequent reference, the Global Fund.
National Institutes of Health
If needed for clarity, place US before the name.
US Agency for International Development
For brevity, PATH uses the abbreviation US not United States when referring to US government agencies and departments, even at first mention. In USAID-branded documents, however, follow the agency's preference and spell out United States.
The World Bank Group
Also known as the World Bank, even at first mention.
Use of "the" before the name
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If it makes sense to do so, add the before the name (e.g., the project was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; we worked with the World Health Organization).
See also Abbreviations / Definite and indefinite articles before abbreviations.
If The is capitalized as part of the formal name (e.g., The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease), follow the organization's preferred style on subsequent reference (e.g., the Global Fund, The Union).
When there are commas in the name
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When an organization name contains one or more commas, do not include a closing comma when the name appears in mid-sentence:
- PATH worked closely with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to get COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries in a timely manner.
However, if you think leaving out the closing comma may cause confusion, include it. This is a judgment call. See also Punctuation and special characters / Semicolon.
This comma treatment differs from American date format (see Numbers and measurements / Dates) and geographic location format (see Punctuation and special characters / Comma), where a closing comma is required.