Data Management Planning

History of Data Management Plans

In 2010, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that it would begin requiring data management plans (DMPs) with all grant applications beginning in the 2011 grant cycle. Although specific requirements vary, a DMP is generally a formal document that outlines what you will do with your data during and after a research project. Other funding agencies in the United States, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH), followed NSF requiring data management plans. 

Source: Adapted from Research Data Management: Practical Strategies for Information Professionals 

Common Requirements of a DMP

DMP requirements vary depending on the funder, but typically include the following. 

• Description of the types of data to be collected or used. 
• Define how the data will be organized. 
• Explain how the data will be documented. 
• Describe how data quality will be assured. 
• Describe the standards in which the data will be stored and preserved. 
• Define the project's data policies for ensuring access to the data and under what terms and conditions. 
• Describe how the data will be disseminated. 
• Assign data management roles and responsibilities. 

Source: Adapted from Research Data Management: Practical Strategies for Information Professionals 

DMP Examples

Here are some examples to give you an idea of what a DMP entails. 

• Public DMPs created using the DMPTool and shared publicly by their owners. 
• Short data-sharing plan examples from NIH.
• ICPSR DMP natural science examples.
• ICPSR sample DMPs for social sciences, education and survey data. 

Specific Funding Agency Requirements

• Browse SPARC's data sharing requirements guide to see requirements of other U.S. federal agencies.