National Institutes of Health Data Management and Sharing Policy Guidance for Northwestern University Investigators
DMS Policy Basics
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Data Management and Sharing (DMS) policy promotes the sharing of scientific data to accelerate biomedical research discovery by enabling validation of research results, providing accessibility to high-value datasets, and promoting data reuse for future research studies.
Under the DMS policy, NIH expects that investigators and institutions:
- Plan and budget for the managing and sharing of data
- Submit a DMS plan for review when applying for funding
- Comply with the approved DMS plan
The NIH DMS policy is in effect on January 25, 2023. Specifically, this date applies to:
- Competing grant applications submitted to NIH on, or after, January 25, 2023
- Proposals for contracts that are submitted to NIH on, or after, January 25, 2023
- NIH Intramural Research Projects conducted on, or after, January 25, 2023
- Other funding agreements (e.g., Other Transactions) that are executed on, or after, January 25, 2023, unless otherwise stipulated by NIH
Note: Competitive renewals occurring after January 25, 2023, for previously funded awards are also subject to the 2023 DMS policy.
Individual NIH Institutes, Centers, or Offices may have specific policies or expectations. The NIH maintains a list of NIH Institute and Center Data Sharing Policies for reference.
How to Comply:
Planning & budgeting, submission & review, implementation & compliance
This guidance is based on the structure and resources made available by the NIH Scientific Data Sharing portal, structured to reflect Data Management Sharing resources and the related Overview.
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Planning & Budgeting for Data Management and Sharing
Proactively planning for how scientific data will be managed and ultimately shared is a crucial first step for optimizing the reach of data generated from NIH-funded research.
• Determine if your proposed research is subject to the DMS policy.
• Identify appropriate methods/approaches and repositories for managing and sharing scientific data.
• Develop a Plan for managing and sharing scientific data and submit this Plan within the funding application or proposal. Applications subject to both the DMS policy and the Genomic Data Sharing policy will submit a single Plan addressing both aspects.
• Estimate and request funds for data management and sharing activities if not already covered by institution or other sources.
• For specific questions, or to request services, please contact ResearchData@northwestern.edu.
This email is monitored by the Main Library, Galter Library and Research Computing. -
Submission & Review of DMS Plans
Applicants planning to generate scientific data will submit DMS Plans to NIH as part of the funding application or proposal.
• Submit DMS Plans and budget requests as part of the funding application or proposal.
• Peer Review will not see or review DMS Plans but will consider any related budget items.
• NIH program staff will review the DMS Plan for completeness and acceptability and may request modifications prior to award as appropriate. If the Plan is not acceptable and complete, work with NIH staff to modify it as appropriate. Plans must be approved by the funding institute prior to award.
• For specific questions, or to request services, please contact ResearchData@northwestern.edu
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Implementing DMS Plans & Compliance
Awardees are expected to carry out data management and sharing as outlined in approved plans and as a term and condition of award.
• Manage and share data as described in the approved DMS Plan.
• Provide updates on data management and sharing activities in annual progress reports.
• If Plans change over the course of the project, work proactively with your NIH Program Officer to obtain review and approval of modifications.
• For specific questions or to request services, please contact ResearchData@northwestern.edu.