Supporting the biodiversity genomics community across Europe
We are pleased to announce an upcoming opportunity to support the biodiversity genomics community across Europe through the Biodiversity Genomics Europe plus (BGE+) cascade-funding mechanism.
In February 2027, the BGE+ project will launch funding calls to scale up the generation and application of biodiversity genomic data, including DNA barcodes, high-quality reference genomes, metabarcoding, and population-level genomic data (i.e. whole-genome sequencing).
Our mission is to mobilise a Europe-wide distributed capacity for advancing reference libraries of genomes and barcodes, connecting researchers to deliver new insights into species diversity, linking genomic evidence to understand, protect, manage, and restore Europe’s biodiversity.
Funding overview
Through the EU’s Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) funding mechanism, a dedicated total budget of €2.75 million will be distributed across more than 40 projects with budgets in the range of €30,000 to €100,000 depending on the topic.
The call will open in February 2027. The submission period will run until April 2027
Focus Areas
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- Reference genome production and applications
- DNA barcode production and applications
- Joint activities involving DNA barcoding and genome sequencing
Goals for the call
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- Broaden Participation: Engage organisations across the DNA barcoding and genome sequencing European community, especially focusing on regions underrepresented in biodiversity genomic data production.
- Fill Critical Gaps: Target gaps in reference barcode and genome libraries across priority taxa, regions, and/or ecosystems.
- Build Capacity: Strengthen Europe’s ability to produce, manage, analyse, and apply genomics data.
- Drive Societal Impact: Translate genomic data into outputs that support monitoring, conservation, restoration, and policy implementation.
- Expand the network: Connect activities across the European genomics community to the wider BGE+ work programme, amplifying impact through shared standards and tools.
Timeline & Next Steps
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- Community preparation: An information webinar will take place on the 10th of December 2026 at 11:00 CET. The link to the webinar will be shared shortly.
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- Call opening: February 2027
- Submission deadline: April 2027
- Evaluation and result notification: June 2027
- Anticipated project launch: July 2027
Applications from European Widening countries are particularly encouraged.
Eligibility criteria
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- All applicants, including the lead applicant and team members, must be affiliated with a legally recognised institution or organisation eligible for Horizon Europe funding, such as a university or a research institute established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country.
- Eligible species must be eukaryotic, and samples must be collected within European biogeographical regions, including those of EU Member States, Horizon Europe-associated countries and their territories.
- Individuals affiliated to institutions that are funded partners of the BGE+ project (see:
https://biodiversitygenomics.eu/project/partners/) are not eligible to apply.
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- Applications from European Widening countries are particularly encouraged. These include the countries defined in this list: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and all Associated Countries with equivalent characteristics in terms of Research & Innovation performance (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Faroe Islands, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Morocco).
- All applicants (lead and team members) must become members of ERGA and/or iBOL-E before the application deadline.
BGE+ will connect the outputs of cascade-funded projects with tasks across the wider BGE+ work programme, ensuring your work contributes to a unified European system for biodiversity genomics knowledge production and application.
Stay tuned! Updates will be shared regularly on the BGE+ website and via the ERGA and iBOL-E websites and their communication channels. Together, we can amplify the impact of biodiversity genomics across the continent and beyond.