A sample format is provided on the Data Management and Sharing Plan Format Page to assist
applicants with preparation of this attachment. Do not include hyperlinks in this attachment.
Recommended not to exceed two pages.
Content: Follow the expectations of the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing and
address the Elements of an NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan described below.
Additional expectations: A Data Management and Sharing Plan should reflect the proposed
approach at the time the application is prepared. For some programs and data types, NIH and/or
NIH Institutes, Centers, Offices, or programs have developed additional data sharing requirements
(e.g., specifying which scientific data to share, relevant standards, repository selection, timelines)
that apply and should be reflected in a Plan. These additional requirements may be listed on NIH
Institute and Center Data Sharing Policies or in specific funding opportunity announcements. Note
that some NIH Institutes, Centers, Officers, or programs have developed additional expectations
for sharing genomic data that may be listed on NIH Institute and Center Genomic Data Sharing
Expectations or in specific funding opportunity announcements.
Elements of a Data Management and Sharing Plan:
Data Type: Briefly describe the scientific data to be managed, preserved, and shared,
including a general summary of the types and estimated amount of scientific data to be
generated and a description of which scientific data from the project will be preserved and
shared as well as the rationale for doing so. Briefly list the metadata, other relevant data, and
any associated documentation (e.g., study protocols and data collection instruments) that will
be made accessible to facilitate interpretation of the scientific data.
Related Tools, Software and/or Code: State whether specialized tools are needed to access or
manipulate shared scientific data to support replication or reuse, and name(s) of the needed
tool(s) and software. If specialized tools or software are needed, provide the name(s) of the
needed tool(s) and software and specify how they can be accessed.
Standards: State what common data standards will be applied to the scientific data and
associated metadata to enable interoperability of datasets and resources (e.g., data formats,
data dictionaries, data identifiers, definitions, unique identifiers, and other data
documentation), and provide the name(s) of the data standards that will be applied and
describe how these data standards will be applied to the scientific data generated by the
research proposed in this project. If applicable, indicate that no consensus standards exist.
Data Preservation, Access, and Associated Timelines: Provide plans and timelines for data
preservation and access, including the name of the repository(ies) where scientific data and
metadata arising from the project will be archived (do not include hyperlinks); how the
scientific data will be findable and identifiable, i.e., via a persistent unique identifier or other
standard indexing tools; and when (i.e., no later than time of an associated publication or end
of the performance period, whichever comes first) the scientific data will be made available to
other users (e.g., the larger research community, institutions, and/or the broader public) and
for how long. See Selecting a Data Repository on the NIH Scientific Data Sharing website.
Access, Distribution, or Reuse Considerations: NIH expects that in drafting Plans, researchers
maximize the appropriate sharing of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted
research, consistent with privacy, security, informed consent, and proprietary issues. Describe
and justify any applicable factors affecting subsequent access, distribution, or reuse of
scientific data related to informed consent, privacy and confidentiality protections, any
restrictions imposed by federal, Tribal, or state laws, regulations, or policies, or existing or
anticipated agreements, or any other considerations that may limit the extent of data sharing.
See Frequently Asked Questions for examples of justifiable reasons for limiting sharing of