Revenue Sources

The Journal of Religion, Local Politics, and Law is committed to sustainable open access publishing. Our operations are funded through a diversified, transparent, and ethical revenue model designed to ensure the journal's long-term viability without imposing financial barriers on authors or readers.

Primary Revenue Sources:

  1. Institutional Sponsorship & Subsidies:

    • The journal receives foundational support from its host institutions and publishing partners. This covers core administrative and platform infrastructure costs.

  2. Article Processing Charges (APCs) – Currently Waived:

    • The journal's standard model includes APCs to cover peer review management, professional editing, production, hosting, and indexing. However, to promote equitable access, these charges are currently fully waived for all authors. This waiver is made possible through the support listed in this policy.

  3. Membership Fees & Society Support:

    • Revenue is generated through membership fees from our supporting academic association(s) and institutional members who endorse the journal's mission.

  4. Targeted Advertising & Sponsorships:

    • We accept selective, contextually appropriate advertisements (e.g., for academic books, conferences, or relevant services) and sponsored content (e.g., special issue support) that align with our scholarly focus. All advertisements are clearly marked and do not influence editorial decisions.

  5. Grants & Donations:

    • The journal may apply for and receive grants from research foundations, governmental bodies, or non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing open scholarship in the social sciences and humanities. Donations from benefactors are also accepted.

  6. Print Subscription & Back Issue Sales (Optional):

    • While primarily an online open-access journal, we may offer optional low-cost print subscriptions or sales of compiled back issues for libraries and individuals, generating supplementary revenue.

Financial Transparency & Ethics:

  • No Pay-to-Publish Influence: All editorial decisions, including peer review and acceptance, are made independently of any financial consideration. Payment or the source of revenue never influences the decision to publish.

  • Fee Waiver Guarantee: Our waiver for APCs is automatic and universal, ensuring no author is excluded for financial reasons.

  • Clear Cost Structure: A clear breakdown of standard APC costs (when applicable) is available upon request, detailing expenses for each stage of the publishing process.

This diversified funding strategy allows the Journal of Religion, Local Politics, and Law to maintain high publishing standards, ensure permanent open access, and operate with full academic integrity.