Skip to Main Content

Research Data Management: NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy

This guide provides information and links to resources for data management, including data management plans, file organization and storage, and data sharing in repositories.
Last Updated: Feb 23, 2024 11:57 AM

What is the NIH Data and Management Sharing Policy?

Effective Jan. 25, 2023, any research conducted or funded in part or whole by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that results in the generation of scientific data must include a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP). A DMSP must be submitted as part of the funding application for all new and competing proposals/renewals.

You may not designate the UB Institutional Repository (UBIR) as your data repository in your NIH DMSP. The UB Libraries have a specific workflow for all NIH DMSPs, as outlined on this page.

Under the new policy, NIH expects that investigators and institutions:

  • Plan and budget for the managing and sharing of data
  • Submit a DMSP for review when applying for funding
  • Comply with the approved DMSP

More information about this policy can be reviewed on the NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy Overview page.

What needs to be included in my DMSP?

For complete information on completing your Data Management and Sharing Plan, please visit this guide:

Writing Your Data Management and Sharing Pan

 

Your plan should be two pages or fewer 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.

The NIH has already supplied a plan template in the DMPTool. You can log into DMPTool with your UB credentials, select the "Create plan" button, and then type "NIH" into the "Funder" box on the next page. There is inline guidance from NIH for each of the six sections. And when you are done, the DMPTool will generate your PDF to submit. Besides all the guidance being right there as you compose the plan, another advantage of using DMPTool is you can invite your collaborators to review or edit with you.

The Working Group on NIH DMSP Guidance has created a Data Management & Sharing Plan Checklist which addresses the six required elements. There is also an accompanying Extended Reference for DMSP Checklist available which has more details. The suggested citation for the checklist is: Badger, K., Calkins, H., Carr Jones, L., Grynoch, T., Koshoffer, A., LaPreze, D., May, A., Nieman, C., Otsuji, R., Phegley, L., & Ye, H. (2022). Data management and sharing plan checklist for researchers. Working Group on NIH DMSP Guidance. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/UADXR

How do I select a data repository?

  1. When deciding on a data repository, both the NIH and the UB Libraries suggest first searching for your fund in the NIH list of Domain-Specific Repositories. Use the "ICO" drop-down filter to find repositories that match your fund. Check the "Properties" column for each repository to confirm you can submit your data there. There are two main benefits from starting with this list:
    • Your data will be easier to find by other researchers in your discipline.
    • Because domain-specific repositories are centered around a discipline, or community of practice, depositing your data there may lead to greater research impact, i.e., discoverability and citation.
  2. If there are no domain-specific repositories designated by the above NIH list for your research data.  These repositories host a wide variety of data and information from all disciplines. Review the NIH list of Generalist Repositories.  UB is a member of Dryad which is an approved NIH Generalist Repository.   

Have questions?

Ask a librarian! Please send any questions to dataservices@buffalo.edu 

NIH DMSP Session with Dr. Exner

On Dec. 5, 2022, a workshop about the NIH DMSP was led by guest presenter Dr. Nina Exner of Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Exner explained the new policy and reviewed in detail the six items that are to be covered by a DMSP in their PowerPoint presentation.