Communication Guidelines

Get answers to your questions on messaging, branding, and wordmark-related matters from the STRIDES Initiative. To get our message across as effectively as possible, we ask STRIDES participants and team members to review the following information and adhere to the guidelines.

Messaging

In general, the STRIDES Initiative follows AP Style Guide with some CIT specifications. Below are some of the most common style uses. To download our STRIDES-specific cheat-sheet, including signature style, click here.

When referring to the STRIDES Initiative (e.g., program, team, partners, etc.)

  • For materials, include “Initiative” (with a capital ‘I’) after “STRIDES” at the first mention (i.e., the STRIDES Initiative), and then simply “STRIDES” for later instances.
  • When listing the STRIDES Initiative partners, list them in alphabetical order to avoid any perceived favoritism.
  • NIH STRIDES Initiative team – The CIT team managing the STRIDES Initiative.
  • STRIDES Initiative partners – The commercial providers that NIH has established partnerships with (e.g., Amazon Web Services [AWS], Google Cloud Platform [GCP], Microsoft Azure). In some cases, we will include the billing and administrative partners in this group.

Do not add an abbreviation after the spelled-out term in titles or headlines.

Spell the following as one word, no hyphens:

  • checkbox
  • dataset
  • startup

Use consistent terminology—training offers “courses” not “classes.”

i.e., vs e.g. — That is (i.e.,) [very specific]. For example (e.g.,) [could possibly be…].

When mentioning the “cloud” in general, lowercase the “c” in “cloud.”

One “enrolls” in the STRIDES Initiative, rather than “signs up.”

Visual

Our visual style follows the NIH branding guidelines. Our website uses the U.S. Web Design System.

The STRIDES wordmark can only be used with permission. The wordmark is designed to signify official STRIDES products, activities, events, representatives, and facilities. It should never be used to promote or suggest endorsement of non-STRIDES products, events, or services. It should never be used by outside parties to misrepresent the purpose, character, or policies of the STRIDES Initiative.

Wordmark Use Guidelines

  • Do keep adequate white space around the wordmark. At any size, there should be half a height of white space between the wordmark and any other object or border.
  • Do use the SVG wordmark file whenever possible. It has a small file size and renders well at any scale. PNG is an acceptable fallback if the format of your document doesn’t support SVG.
  • Don’t change the color of the wordmark.
  • Don’t place the wordmark over images.
  • Don’t stretch or skew the wordmark.

STRIDES Initiative wordmark

Download the vertical wordmark: (SVG, PNG).

STRIDES Initiative wordmark

Download the horizontal wordmark: (SVG, PNG).

High contrast versions are available on request.

Requests for permission to use the STRIDES wordmark should be submitted through the Contact Us form.

Webpages

Please follow the U.S. Web Design System. Below are guidelines for the most common style uses.

Text for callout boxes should be short, informative text for emphasis, NOT paragraphs or outside links.

Keep information organized and easy to read:

  • Add useful headings to help people skim and scan the page.
  • Use lists to break up the text and outline steps in a process.
  • Avoid having lists within lists or several levels of information.
  • Use tables to make complex material easier to understand.
  • Write short sentences and short sections to break up information into manageable chunks.

FAQs

Will STRIDES link to my website?

The STRIDES website is a U.S. Government website, and our policy is to link only to other federal government websites or approved program partners that have relevant health and scientific information.

May I link to the STRIDES website?

You may link to the STRIDES website without permission. Linking to the STRIDES website does not indicate an endorsement by STRIDES, nor the NIH, as sponsors of the information and products presented on the website.

How do I get my STRIDES case study published on your website?

Please use the Contact Us form and include a brief description of your case-study/research. Someone from the team will get in touch with you.