The Swedish Research Council, funded by the Ministry of Science and Education, has a national responsibility for support and development of basic research in all fields of science. It is the major national funding agency with an annual budget of 274 M€.

The Swedish Research Council has three main objectives:

• To promote and fund basic science of highest scientific quality assuring Sweden a leading international position.
• To develop science communication making general information about research and research results accessible both to specialists and to the general public.
• To analyse and evaluate Swedish research and research policies.

The Council for Natural and Engineering Sciences (CNES) is one of four Science Councils within the Swedish Research Council. The budget for CNES is approx.121 M€, providing funding for more than 2000 individual research projects and a broad international co-operation.

The CNES also represents Sweden in GBIF and funds the National Node of GBIF at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. The CNES supports IGFA during the Swedish chairmanship and takes an active part in the secretariat. The CNES is member of DIVERSITAS and IHDP and takes part in the ESF EuroCORES initiative on Biodiversity.

Biodiversity research and related
The CNES funds biodiversity research in a special programme with an annual budget of 5.5 M€. Related to the Biodiversity programme is a special programme in Ecology and Systematics (ca 4 M€).

The Swedish Research Council Supports basic research in biodiversity in a special programme, managed by a special committee, established by the Council Board. Committee has just recently put forward a Research Programme to define what areas are given support.

Support is given to research in all scientific fields; biology, social sciences, medicine, spatial planning, etc. Multidisciplinary projects are also given support. The Programme is managed by a Program Manager, Dr Lars M Nilsson, belonging to the permanent staff of the Research Council. The programme has an annual budget of 5.5 M€ typically awarded as 3-yr grants, i.e. every year a third, approx 2 M€ are announced every year (sufficient for 30-35 new projects). This year, there are ca 110 projects up and running, consisting of both junior research positions and normal research grants.