The UK Government has announced that funds available for Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes will be significantly reduced commencing in June of this year (2021). This includes all GCRF and Newton Grant awards.
BGS is currently working across NERC/UKRI and with all its partners to understand the impact on our current ODA-funded projects.
Decisions are currently being made on a case-by-case basis about where and how the anticipated cuts will affect individual projects. BGS has been informed that we will be provided with more detail in the next few weeks, into April 2021.
Please be assured that we are preparing for a range of scenarios for all of our potentially affected projects, both in terms of budget and project scheduling. We will be communicating on an individual basis with each project partner.
In the meantime if you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to contact BGS Global Geoscience Director Martin Smith via BGS Enquiries marked ODA.
Related news

Extended seabed geology map of the Bristol Channel published
07/10/2025
BGS has released significantly extended high-resolution maps that will support offshore green-energy initiatives in the area.

Dr Angela Lamb appointed as honorary professor by the University of Nottingham
02/10/2025
Dr Lamb will take up the position of honorary professor of environmental geochemistry, with a focus on collaborative research.

New report sets pathway to reduce the impacts of geohazards in one of the world’s most hazard-prone nations
30/09/2025
A new White Paper, co-developed by Indonesian and UK hazard experts, presents a strategic roadmap to significantly reduce the impacts of geological hazards in Indonesia.

Artificial intelligence helps scientists identify 3000 moving slopes potentially at risk of landslide
25/09/2025
A new approach that combines AI and satellite data has been used by scientists to detect actively moving landslides at a national scale.

New BGS GeoIndex viewer released for user testing
24/09/2025
The premium map-viewing application has been given a major upgrade and made available as a beta release.

UK scientists in awe-rora as national coverage of magnetic field complete for the first time
23/09/2025
New sensors being installed across the UK are helping us understand the effects that extreme magnetic storms have on technology and national infrastructure.

Funding awarded for study on hydrogen storage potential in North Yorkshire
22/09/2025
A new study has been awarded funding to explore the potential for underground hydrogen storage near the Knapton power plant.

BGS-led paper scoops prestigious award
16/09/2025
New research providing earlier warnings of landslides has been awarded the British Geotechnical Association medal.

Why do we store geological core?
11/09/2025
With space at a premium and the advance of new digitisation techniques, why does retaining over 600 km of physical specimens remain of national importance?

New seabed sediment maps reveal what lies beneath the waves
03/09/2025
Marine ecosystem science and offshore infrastructure will be boosted by a new dataset showing sediment composition across the UK continental shelf.

New geological ‘pathways’ discovered beneath Welsh capital
02/09/2025
Scientists have discovered cavities in the clay underneath Cardiff, which will influence the siting of future geothermal developments.

BGS artificial ground data: what do you need from a geological survey?
28/08/2025
BGS is seeking user feedback on artificial ground data: how you use it, what information you consider, and what we can do to improve our offering.