A Data Management Plan, or DMP (sometimes also called a data sharing plan), is a formal document that outlines what you will do with your data during and after a research project. It describes the type of data you use for your research, how are collected, organized, and stored, and what formats you use. When sensitive data are used, the DMP must also describe what steps you are taking to make your data secure and compliant with regulations. It details how data will be accessible and documented for sharing and reuse during and after the project is finished. DMP are required by an increasing number of funding entities and research institutions.
Create a Data Management Plan – OVCR Guide
Resources for developing a DMP.
Data Management Resources – University Libraries
Find tools and information for managing your data from inception to archive management.
Agency DMP Guidances
- NSF Data Management Plan Policy webpage
- NSF 22-055: Dear Colleague Letter: Effective Practices for Making Research Data Discoverable and Citable (Data Sharing) (March 8, 2022)
- NIH Data Sharing Policy and Implementation Guidance
- NIH Resource Sharing Plans
- Creating an NIH Data Sharing Plan – with examples – from WU OSRS
University Libraries Data Management Resources
Explore services, guidelines, and tools available to the University community for managing research data, including a list of funding agencies and their data guidelines. Visit the Managing your data page.
Data management best practices
Data Managment Tool
The California Digital Library has created a Data Management Tool (DMP) to help users create plans tailored to specific agency and directorate requirements. Read this Quick Start Guide to learn more about creating a plan with the Data Management Plan tool.
Research Infrastructure Service (RIS) Research Storage
RIS Research Storage offers a scalable, high performance and distributed storage infrastructure with integrated long-term archive. Enhancing the rate of discovery, there are many enterprise level features to facilitate data analysis, management, curation and retention. All faculty involved in research have access to 5TB of free storage.
See RIS’ Resources page for language that can be used in grant proposals.
Washington University Research Network (WURN)
WURN is a high speed campus Research Network with increased accessibility which enables the transport, analysis and dissemination of big data within and beyond the university area.
Research Data Management @Harvard
Research Data Management @Harvard is a reference guide with information and resources to help you manage your data, including topics such as Planning Data Management; Data Acquisition and Use Agreements; Storage, Computation, Analysis; and Data Sharing and Preservation.
Data Use Agreement Intake Form
Visit this page to download the DUA for transfer of a limited data set (DOC).
Compliance Issues in Data Management, Data Security, and Intellectual Property
Visit this website for resources related to securely managing data related to your award.