In line with NIH’s Final Data Management and Sharing Policy, Principal Investigators must include a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) with any new and competing NIH proposal/renewal submissions after January 25, 2023 for research that will generate scientific data. The term scientific data is defined in the NIH policy as “The recorded factual material commonly accepted in the scientific community as of sufficient quality to validate and replicate research findings, regardless of whether the data are used to support scholarly publications.”
This is a change in NIH policy. Previously, the NIH only required grants with $500,000 per year or more in direct costs to provide a brief explanation of how and when data resulting from the grant would be shared. Beginning in 2023, all research grant applications or renewals that generate scientific data must now include a robust and detailed plan for how you will manage and share data during the entire funded period. This includes information on data storage, access policies/procedures, preservation, metadata standards, distribution approaches, and more. You must provide this information in a data management and sharing plan (DMSP).
The DMSP will be assessed by NIH Program Staff (though peer reviewers can comment on the proposed data management budget these comments will not impact the overall score). The Institute, Center, or Office (ICO)approved plan becomes a Term and Condition of the Notice of Award.
Recognizing that Investigators may not necessarily have all details at the proposal stage, Investigators are encouraged to complete the DMSP to the best of their ability. NIH has indicated that you will have an opportunity to update your plan during your award, should that be necessary. Changes will be subject to your Institute’s approval.
All applications submitted for receipt dates of January 25, 2023, or later must use the Forms-H Application. The DMSP will be attached in the new item 11, Other Plan(s) section of the application. Review these instructions carefully and for your specific proposal. Some language and requirements may vary depending on your specific Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and activity.
The DMSP is recommended not to exceed two pages and must include:
- Data Type
- Related Tools, Software, and/or Code
- Standards
- Data Preservation, Access, and Associated Timelines
- Access, Distribution, or Reuse Considerations
- Oversight of Data Management and Sharing.
NIH has provided an optional draft Data Management and Sharing Plan template to assist in preparing these plans. See Writing a Data Sharing and Management Plan for additional guidance.
NIH expects that Principal Investigators may need to request funds toward data management and sharing and should do so in the budget and budget justification sections of their applications. See Budgeting for Data Management and Sharing for guidance.
How to Prepare
- Determine your personal timeline. If you have an active NIH award going up for renewal with a receipt date of January 2023, or if you are planning to submit an NIH proposal soon, then developing a DMSP should be a high priority, especially if you are working with external collaborators as it may take time to set up appropriate data procedures or data sharing agreements. Contact the Office of Research Compliance, Integrity, and Safety to review any data sharing plans you may need.
- Discuss the new requirements with colleagues—at NIU, at upcoming scientific meetings, and in other settings—to help shape expectations within their scientific field around data management and sharing and, potentially, inform the requirements of NIH programs related to that field.
- Read through the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy webpage to familiarize yourself with the changes, the requirements, and allowable costs to support your plan.
- Review campus data services and assess whether they will meet your needs. Given the limited time available to understand this requirement, you should contact your department or the Vice President for Research to discuss any resource needs you may have. The Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships will work with campus units and colleges in the coming months to determine resources necessary to meet this requirement long-term.
Additional Resources
- NIH Twelve Days of Data Management and Sharing Tips and Resources (added 11/30/2022)
- Research Covered Under the Data Management & Sharing Plan (Mechanisms that require/do not require a DMSP)
- NIH Scientific Data Sharing
- FAQs for the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing Policy
- Implementation Details for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy
- FDP Slides NIH Policy for Data Management & Sharing and Implementation Activities
