The Estonian Research Council fulfills several different tasks related to research infrastructures. The task of the Research Council is to compile and regularly update the Estonian research infrastructure roadmap, which includes a list of both new and established nationally important research infrastructure units.

Estonia has joined several international research infrastructures (ESFRI roadmap objects, etc.). The role of the Research Council is to participate in the preparation for joining, represent Estonia in accession negotiations, and after joining, participate in the governing bodies of these international research infrastructures. More detailed information about international research infrastructures that Estonia has joined is located here.

In addition, at the EU structural funds period 2014-2020, the Research Council has participated in investment plan preparation process for priority direction 4 “Growth-capable entrepreneurship and supporting research and development activities” measure 4.2 “Increasing the local socio-economic impact of the R&D system and smart specialization for the development of growth areas” activity 4.1.2 “Supporting nationally important research infrastructure based on the roadmap”. The Research Council participated in the preparation of investment proposal documents, in the organization of collecting the investment proposals, and in the investment proposal evaluation process.

From 2013 to 2019, the Research Council participated in the core facilities funding process within the framework of application round for institutional research grants (IUT).When the IUT grants finished, the core facilities support started as a separate scheme from 2020 and the Ministry of Education and Research authorized the Research Council as the processor of core facilities funding. The core facility is an object of the Estonian research infrastructure roadmap, which provides services also outside the institution or institutions that formed it, and which is included in the list of core facilities.