Research Data Management: National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation

• As always, follow the requirements laid out in your specific grant application instructions, and use the information here for reference.
• NSF's Public Access Plan [PDF]
• Please see also Requirements by Directorate, Office, Division, Program, or other NSF Unit.

Overview

• A data management plan (DMP) or data sharing plan is required with the grant proposal. The DMP will be reviewed as part of the proposal evaluation process, considered under Intellectual Merit or Broader Impacts or both (see criteria described in the Grant Proposal Guide III.A.2).
• Scope: digitally formatted scientific data resulting from unclassified research; exceptions are described in Section 3.2.1 of the NSF Public Access Plan.
• Time frame for sharing: Will vary by research community and should be discussed in the DMP at time of proposal submission.
• Designated repository: There is currently no designated NSF repository for data. Researchers should discuss their plan for preservation of access to data resulting from the project in their DMP.

Implementation

• Data management plans are currently required for all NSF proposals. Additional public access initiatives will be implemented incrementally.

Additional information

• Directorate specific guidance can be found at the NSF website. Please refer to Directorate, Office, Division, Program or other NSF Unit in addition to the general NSF requirements as specific communities and RFPs may have different practices and requirements.
• NSF Public Access: Frequently Asked Questions
• NSF Data Management & Sharing Frequently Asked Questions
• Meeting NSF's Technical Reporting Requirements (see especially Question 5)
• Fastlane (NSF's grants management system).