NIH Data Management & Sharing Plans (DMSPs)
Last Updated: April 6, 2026
The National Institutes of Health requires data management and sharing plans as a part of all research project proposals. The University of Idaho provides the following resources to better understand the requirements and expectations of the agency, and how to develop plans with resources at the university.
As of February 2026, the NIH has revised their Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP), "to increase efficiency and minimize applicant burden". The updated format for a DMSP will be limited to 7 questions and a reduction in explanation or detail from the previous guidance. More details are forthcoming from the agency. More detailed recommendations on how to think about this change are here.
General Information (pertains to the 2023-2025 DMSP)
(This section will be updated after May 25, 2026)
Overview of the NIH Policy - describes the general requirements and expectations of the 2023 policy, how it will be reviewed, and how a DMSP will be managed during a funded project
Elements of a Data Management and Sharing Plan - describes the specific components to include in a ca. 2023 DMSP, including examples.
DMSP Checklist - lists the required prompts to address in each section of a 2023 DMSP
DMPTool - a free online tool for generating a data management plan compliant with funding agency requirements, including NSF and NIH. Use your @uidaho email address when logging in. This tool is currently under revision to fit the 2026 DMSP guidance.
Other Resources
- Details about acceptable repositories
- NIH FAQs on the 2023 Data Sharing Policy
- NIH Webinar on the 2023 policy, part 1
- NIH Webinar on the 2023 policy, part 2: privacy protections, human participants, and limitations on data sharing
Questions?
For assistance, contact either:
- Jeremy Kenyon, Library (jkenyon@uidaho.edu), or
- Andrew Child, RCDS (awchild@uidaho.edu) for assistance.