CFAs: Bioinformatics and Biological Resources Fund (United Kingdom)

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), offers the Bioinformatics and Biological Resources Fund (26BBR) to support the implementation, improvement, or consolidation of bioinformatics and biological resources for UK bioscience research and innovation. The funding is for projects delivering community resources that meet significant demand or support established user bases. The application window opens 23 September 2026 at 9:00am UK time and closes 19 November 2026 at 4:00pm UK time. Opportunity at a Glance

- Funder: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (UKRI)

- Opportunity name: Bioinformatics and Biological Resources Fund (26BBR)

- Opportunity type: Grant

- Total indicative fund: £7,000,000

- Maximum award: £2,000,000 (full economic cost, FEC)

- BBSRC contribution: 80% of FEC (up to £1.6 million)

- Applicant cost share: 20% of FEC (expected to be funded by the research organisation)

- Project duration: Up to 5 years

- Earliest project start date: Projects can only start from 1 July 2027 (earliest)

- Opening date/time: 23 September 2026, 9:00am UK time

- Closing date/time: 19 November 2026, 4:00pm UK time

- Opportunity status (per source): Open

- Publication date (per source): 16 September 2026

About the Opportunity

BBSRC describes bioinformatics and biological resources as essential components of UK bioscience infrastructure. This opportunity aims to support sustainable provision of high-quality FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) biological data and cutting-edge bioinformatics software, alongside access to key biological materials. The Bioinformatics and Biological Resources Fund (26BBR) supports resources such as databases, software, and biological materials when they are delivered as community-focused assets that address significant demand or serve an established user base. Funding and Benefits This is a grant opportunity with the following funding parameters:

- Eligible project FEC: Up to £2,000,000

- BBSRC funding level: 80% of FEC (up to £1.6 million)

- Research organisation contribution: 20% of FEC expected from the host organisation

- Indicative budget for the opportunity: Up to £7,000,000 total (not necessarily all awarded)

BBSRC also expects applicants to consider alternative long-term sustainability options beyond BBSRC support when planning the resource. Who Is Eligible? Eligible applicant organisations - Your organisation must be a UK research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding. - The opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility (check if your organisation is eligible). Eligible applicants (people) - The 2026 Bioinformatics and Biological Resources Fund is open to researchers and research technical professionals (RTPs) who are normally eligible to apply for funding from BBSRC. Research technical professionals (RTPs) - BBSRC particularly encourages applications from RTPs and research software engineers as project leads or project co-leads. - An RTP can be listed as a project lead/co-lead if their responsibilities and duties are appropriate for someone with substantial research experience. - If eligibility is unclear, applicants are directed to contact: [contact details removed]. International researchers - International researchers are not eligible to apply for funding as part of this funding opportunity, but they can be included as project partners if relevant. Equality, diversity and inclusion UKRI states it is committed to equality of opportunity and supports flexible working and other arrangements. UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during application and assessment. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas BBSRC states that projects supported through 26BBR should focus on delivery of a community resource. Supported resource types include: - Demand management and community-level data support - Management and sharing of large and complex datasets for data discovery, data mining, and data integration - Support for FAIR principles and moving towards AI readiness - Bioinformatics software and workflows - State-of-the-art, well-maintained software tools enabling cutting-edge analyses and workflows - Including tools that support insights from bioscience data, such as via AI and machine learning - Access to biological materials - Access to materials underpinning world-class bioscience research, including (but not limited to) culture and germplasm collections, mutant lines and clones, DNA samples, and genetic libraries What BBSRC will fund BBSRC lists the following application types: - Establishment of a new and innovative resource beneficial to a broader BBSRC user base - Maturation and maintenance of a project-based resource into a community-based one - Further development or essential maintenance of an existing community resource with established access mechanisms, for example: - Enabling FAIR principles - Enabling new uses such as metadata enrichment for machine learning and AI - Association or integration of distinct resources to create an upgraded resource with greater value than the sum of the parts BBSRC also notes that while projects are intended to benefit UK researchers, internationally leading infrastructures may have significant non-UK user bases. However, BBSRC says resources with significant impact and demand within the UK research base fit the scope better than projects where the UK has only a relatively small domestic user base. Why This Opportunity Matters This opportunity targets the infrastructure that enables data-driven bioscience research. By funding community resources—such as FAIR biological data, bioinformatics software, and access to biological materials—BBSRC aims to support reproducibility, efficient reuse of resources across research communities, and readiness for emerging AI and machine learning applications in bioscience. How to Apply BBSRC states that this funding