Research infrastructure includes universities, research institutes and national and international facilities. In the UK, research infrastructure funding is available from the Research Councils, Government departments, charities, the private sector, the European Commission and other international bodies.
The Research Councils provide support for infrastructure by enabling those applying for research funding to request funds for equipment, and those Research Councils with institutes are responsible for maintaining the infrastructure in their laboratories. The Research Councils, in particular the Science and Technology Facilities Council, also fund access to world-class facilities.
Funding for facilities is also available from the Large Facilities Capital Fund (LFCF). The LFCF, administered by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) provides a funding contribution to the capital costs of new facilities or the upgrade/ expansion of existing facilities.
Managing large scale infrastructure projects can be challenging. To assist in the planning and delivery of such projects the National Audit Office (NAO) in collaboration with BIS and RCUK has published a good practice guide for project teams preparing proposals for large scientific facilities. The guide is available on the NAO website.
BIS and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) also provide support to universities via the Science Research Infrastructure Fund (SRIF), which provides capital funding to universities to help them invest in their research infrastructure e.g. replacing or renewing equipment, refurbishing or upgrading laboratories or constructing new facilities.