Research funders

Government agency - biomedical

The largest single funder of biomedical research in the world - 27 institutes and centres, supporting roughly 300,000 researchers at 2,500 institutions. Operates eRA Commons for grant management, mandates ORCID iDs for key personnel, and shapes biomedical publication conventions including CRediT, the Data Management and Sharing Policy (DMSP), and the 2024 Public Access Policy.

National Institutes of Health · est. 1887 · $47B (FY 2024)

Government agency - all sciences

The principal funder of US non-medical fundamental research - mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, social sciences, education. Mandates SciENcv biographical sketches, ORCID iDs, and (since 2023) NSPM-33-aligned Common Disclosure forms. Open-access mandates effective 2026.

National Science Foundation · est. 1950 · $9.9B (FY 2024)

Government-funded research institute (DHSC)

The UK government's applied-health-research funder. Funds NHS-embedded research, clinical trials, Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) studies, and the NIHR research infrastructure (BRCs, ARCs, HRC). Mandates clinical-trial registration, study-summary publication, and CRediT-aligned author contributions on funded publications.

National Institute for Health and Care Research · est. 2006 · £1.3B (FY 2024)

Non-departmental public body - umbrella

Umbrella body for the seven UK research councils (AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, STFC) plus Innovate UK and Research England. Custodian of the Research Excellence Framework (REF). Made the Resume for Research and Innovation (R4RI) narrative CV format mandatory for fellowship applications from January 2024.

UK Research and Innovation · est. 2018 · £8.8B (FY 2024-25)

Research council under UKRI - biomedical

The UK Medical Research Council, established 1913, now operating as one of nine councils under UK Research and Innovation. Funds basic and translational biomedical research, longitudinal cohort studies, and major MRC units and institutes (LMS, LMB, the Francis Crick Institute partnership). One of the earliest funders to mandate research data sharing, dating from 2006.

Medical Research Council · est. 1913 · £0.9B (FY 2024-25, estimated allocation)

Private biomedical foundation

The world's largest non-government biomedical research funder. Pioneered Plan S adoption (2019), the Wellcome Open Research publishing platform (2016), and the narrative-CV format (1998 / 2018 revival). Mandates immediate open access, ORCID iDs, and CRediT on all funded publications.

Wellcome Trust · est. 1936 · £1.4B (FY 2024)

EU research funding body - frontier research

The EU's frontier-research funder under Horizon Europe - Starting / Consolidator / Advanced / Synergy grants for principal investigators of any nationality. Plan S signatory. Mandates immediate open access, ORCID iDs, and structured grant reporting via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

European Research Council · est. 2007 · €2.2B (Horizon Europe 2024)

EU multilateral framework programme

The EU's 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. Three pillars (Excellent Science / Global Challenges / Innovative Europe) and the EU Missions. Plan S compliant - immediate open access required on all peer-reviewed publications. FAIR-aligned data management plans mandatory.

Horizon Europe (EU Framework Programme) · est. 2021 · €95.5B (2021-2027 total)

Government agency - health research

The federal Canadian government's health-research funder, one of three tri-agency partners (with NSERC and SSHRC). Operates 13 institutes covering the breadth of biomedical, clinical, health-services, and population-health research. Major funder of pan-Canadian initiatives such as Brain Canada and the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research · est. 2000 · CA$1.4B (FY 2024-25)

Government agency - natural sciences and engineering

The federal Canadian government's funder of natural-sciences, engineering, and mathematics research. One of the three tri-agency partners (with CIHR and SSHRC). Funds Discovery Grants for individual investigators, Industrial Research Chairs, CREATE training programmes, and Alliance industry-collaboration grants.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada · est. 1978 · CA$1.4B (FY 2024-25)

Government agency - social sciences and humanities

The federal Canadian government's funder of social sciences and humanities research. One of the three tri-agency partners (with CIHR and NSERC). Funds Insight Grants for individual scholars, Partnership Grants for collaborative consortia, and dedicated Indigenous-research programmes. Custodian of the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) jointly with CIHR and NSERC.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada · est. 1977 · CA$0.5B (FY 2024-25)

Government agency - health and medical research

Australia's peak health and medical research funder, jointly responsible (with the ARC and Universities Australia) for the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Funds Investigator Grants, Ideas Grants, Synergy Grants for team science, and Centres of Research Excellence. Operates Sapphire as the primary grant management platform.

National Health and Medical Research Council · est. 1936 · A$0.95B (FY 2023-24)

Government agency - non-medical research

Australia's peak non-medical research funder, covering humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics - everything outside NHMRC's health remit. Funds Discovery Projects, Linkage Projects (industry-collaboration), Centres of Excellence, and a major fellowship suite. Co-issuer (with NHMRC and Universities Australia) of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

Australian Research Council · est. 2001 · A$0.9B (FY 2023-24)

Private foundation - global health and development

The largest private foundation funder of global health and development research. First major funder to mandate fully open access without embargo (2014, took effect 2017). All Gates-funded publications must be immediately CC BY; underlying data must be made openly available.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation · est. 2000 · $8.6B (2024)

Private medical research institute

A US private medical research institute. Funds Investigators through employment rather than grants - full salary and lab support for renewable 5-7-year terms. Co-funded the original 2012 CRediT workshop and remains a CRediT advocate. Mandates CC BY open access (2022).

Howard Hughes Medical Institute · est. 1953 · $1B+ annual research investment