Data Management and Sharing

NIH’s Policy for Data Management and Sharing went into effect January 2023, replacing the 2003 NIH Data Sharing Policy. The policy requires NIH-funded researchers to submit a plan prior to award that outlines how scientific data from their research will be managed and shared. Upon approval, the plan becomes part of the terms and conditions of the grant award.

NIH has separate policies on Genomic Data Sharing and Model Organism Sharing.

NIMHD-Specific Guidance on Data Management and Sharing

Under the new NIH Policy almost all competing NIH awards will require a sharing plan that must be approved by the program officer prior to award.

NIMHD encourages data management and data sharing practices consistent with the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and re-usable) data principles. NIMHD requires all six elements identified in the NIH policy to be addressed in the data management and sharing plan including:

Data type
Related tools, software, and/or code
Standards
Data preservation, access, and associated timelines
Access, distribution, and reuse considerations
Oversight of data management and sharing