F.R.S.-FNRS is devoted to promote basic scientific research following a bottom-up scheme. It supports both individual scientists and research programmes carried on mainly in University laboratories and services of the French speaking community of Belgium.

F.R.S.-FNRS has financed research on rare diseases within its Life Sciences and Health budget (in 2004, 36 fund agreements were dedicated to research on rare diseases with a total budget of € 1.39 million). FNRS has recently set up a working group on rare diseases.