Research Data Management

Effective January 25, 2023, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued its final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS Policy) to promote the management and sharing of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted research.

This Policy establishes the requirements of submission of Data Management and Sharing Plans (hereinafter Plans) and compliance with NIH Institute, Center, or Office (ICO)-approved Plans. It also emphasizes the importance of good data management practices and establishes the expectation for maximizing the appropriate sharing of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted research, with justified limitations or exceptions. This Policy applies to research funded or conducted by NIH that results in the generation of scientific data.

Resources for this guide were compiled from the NIH DMSP Guidance Working Group and the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM).

Contact researchdatahelp@groups.dartmouth.edu or the Biomedical Libraries for additional assistance.

Learn what NIH expects Data Management & Sharing plans to address.

Use the DMPTool to create Data Management Plans that meet requirements.

Complete the Data Management and Sharing Plan Checklist for Researchers.

Review NIH sample DMPs that are consistent with the expectations in both the NIMH and NIH Notices.

For help with your DMP or to request a review, email us at researchdatahelp@groups.dartmouth.edu .  You can also contact us through the DMPTool to request a review or ask questions.

Selecting a Data Repository

For some programs and types of data, NIH and/or Institute, Center, Office (ICO) policy(ies) and Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) identify particular data repositories (or sets of repositories) to be used to preserve and share data.  Researchers should review the specific guidance to determine designated data repository(ies). 

For data generated from research for which no data repository is specified by NIH, researchers are encouraged to select a data repository that is appropriate for the data generated from the research project.

• Primary consideration should be given to data repositories that are discipline or data-type specific to support effective data discovery and reuse. NIH recommended repositories are provided .
• Evaluate repositories on desired characteristics, such metadata, access, security, preservation, etc.
• Human subjects data requires additional considerations.

See Repositories for Sharing Scientific Data for a listing of NIH-affiliated data repositories.

If no appropriate discipline or data-type specific repository is available, researchers should consider:

• Submitting smaller datasets (less than 2 GB) to PubMed Central as supplemental information
• Selecting a generalist repository
• Using Dartmouth Dataverse , our institutional repository (50 GB per dataset, 1 TB total per research group)

Determining Costs

NIH Allowable Costs for Data Management and Sharing provides details on the types of data-related budgeting that can be included in the budget justification sections of grant applications.

​​NIH recommends the Forecasting Costs for Preserving, Archiving, and Promoting Access to Biomedical Data study in order to properly budget for data management and sharing costs.

NIH encourages researchers to select the repository that is most appropriate for their data type and discipline.

NIH-supported Scientific Data Repositories provides a list of recommended repositories, searchable by institute/center, description, and policy.

See Selecting a Data Repository for complete guidance.

Unable to find a NIH repository?  Contact us for help on selecting a general repository , help using Dartmouth Dataverse , or for general guidance.

We help faculty, student, and staff researchers to craft their DMPs and consult on best practices on managing, storing, and sharing your research data.

For help with your DMP or to request a review, email us at researchdatahelp@groups.dartmouth.edu .  You can also contact us through the DMPTool to request a review or ask questions.