Mid-range equipment for biosciences research: ALERT 2026

The ALERT 2026 scheme is an equipment-only grant administered by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council under UK Research and Innovation. The program is designed to support the procurement of mid-range research equipment within the BBSRC remit, with a particular focus on advanced, multi-user equipment that benefits research organizations, industry, and end-user communities. Eligible equipment requests must fall into one of three categories: emerging and novel technologies, upgrading existing equipment to improve performance or capacity, or replacing obsolete workhorse equipment. Applications must be submitted via the UKRI Funding Service by January 14, 2027. Financial requirements specify a minimum equipment cost of 200,000 GBP, with all costs provided in GBP. The grant has a 12-month duration, during which all one-off installation expenses and service maintenance contracts must be paid. Applicants are required to provide an Equipment Classification Table in the purpose section and a Costs Summary Table in the resources and costs section of their application, as manufacturer and supplier quotes cannot be uploaded directly to the funding service.