Different project types offer different financial opportunities:

• Design studies - assessment of the scientific, technical and financial feasibility of the proposed new (or upgraded) facility, leading to a "conceptual design report" allowing policy makers to prepare strategic decisions for the development of new research infrastructures of European interest;

• Construction of new infrastructures - bringing the project to the level of legal and financial maturity required to implement the project (legal, logistical, strategic, financial and technical work);

• Integrating Activities (traditional and e-infrastructures) -

• Networking: e.g. development of common standards, protocols, databases; spreading of good practices; foresight studies for new instrumentation, methods and technologies;

• Trans-national Access: providing access free of charge to external users, including training courses, travel and subsistence for users;

• Service activities: scientific services freely available through communication networks (e.g. databases); upgrading communication infrastructure; grid infrastructure support, operation and management, integration, test and certification; data and resources management;

• Joint research activities to improve the services provided by the infrastructures: e.g. higher performance methodologies, protocols and instrumentation, including the testing of components, subsystems, materials, techniques and software.