New DNA sequencing and metagenomics projects are increasing the flow of poorly annotated raw sequence data into public databases with limited annotation. At the same time, users are imposing increasing demands on databases to include functional and contextual information, and to facilitate linking to other databases. Recent advances in technologies for achieving this and enabling complex querying and analysis are now well established, including services such as DAS and Web services. Of the traditional protein functional classification resources, arguably the best known and most used is the InterPro database and its accompanying software, InterProScan. InterPro is an integrated documentation resource for protein families, domains and functional sites, which unifies data from 10 major signature databases into a single resource. It provides a means of small- and large-scale protein functional classification and annotation, adding value through its cross-references to GO, 3D structure data, and specialized protein family information. Despite the success of InterPro and its contributing databases, however, lack of funding recently has limited our collective ability to keep up with the ever-increasing flood of new data and emergence of new function-related data sources, and to fully embrace technologies such as DAS. This proposal aims to address these limitations and drive InterPro and its member databases into a sustainable future. This will be achieved through improved coordination of Consortium activities and infrastructures; by better interaction with our users, and increased functionality to better meet the needs of existing users, and to embrace more advanced users. Our focus for the future is on new protein signatures to increase coverage and depth of protein space, faster turn-around in providing data to the public, interoperability with new protein function and pathway databases, and increased functionality of our interface to cater for beginner and expert users.