An increasing number of funders are exploring altmetrics for the following purposes:
- To understand the reach of the research they fund;
- To promote press coverage received by funded research; and
- To evaluate grant proposals
Here are some specific examples of how funders have used altmetrics to date.
The Wellcome Trust has been an outspoken supporter of altmetrics to identify “alternative perspectives on impact“. They reportedly generate altmetrics for benchmarking purposes, to understand the relative influence of the research they fund.
The John Templeton Foundation is a cross-disciplinary grantmaking trust that uses altmetrics to identify and amplify the attention its funded research receives. The Foundation also uses altmetrics in the grantmaking process.