Starting April 27, 2026 the NSF now requires researchers to submit a data management and sharing plan on Research.gov. Please see updated guidance below.

National Science Foundation Requirement

Since 2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has required Data Management and Sharing Plans (DMS Plans) for incoming grant applications. Read the full policy and requirements: Dissemination and Sharing of Research Results.

Effective April 27, 2026, the Data Management & Sharing Plan (DMS Plan) must be created using a form on Research.gov.

What is Required?

Investigators are expected to share with other researchers, at no more than incremental cost, and within a reasonable time, the primary data, samples, physical collections, and other supporting materials created or gathered in the course of work under NSF grants.

  1. Proposals must include a DMS Plan created using the tool implemented on Research.gov. This document should describe how the proposal will conform to NSF policy on the dissemination and sharing of research results.
  2. Scientific datasets underlying peer-reviewed scholarly publications resulting from federally funded research should be made publicly available as per the DMS Plan.

What Do I Need to Submit?

For each project proposal include a DMS Plan for the primary Directorate you are applying to, or provide a justification if a detailed DMS Plan is not needed. Refer to the funding opportunity for specific guidance on how to complete this section. You can preview the Research.gov DMS Plan form.


 

Write an NSF DMS Plan

Content that may be included under the general NSF guidelines is as follows:

  1. The types of data, samples, physical collections, software, curriculum materials and other materials to be produced in the course of the project.
  2. The standards to be used for data and metadata format and content. In cases where existing standards are absent or deemed inadequate, this should be documented along with any proposed solutions or remedies.
  3. Policies for data access and sharing, including provisions for appropriate protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual property or other rights or requirements.
  4. Policies and provisions for data reuse, redistribution and the production of derivatives.
  5. Plans for archiving data, samples and other research products, and for preserving access to them.

Requirements by Directorate, Office, Division, Program, or other NSF Unit may provide more specific guidance.

To draft the plan itself, we recommend the DMP Tool (log in with HarvardKey) using the appropriate NSF template. Additional guidance for completing each section is available in DMP Tool. Find more information on DMP Tool.

DMPTool has marked all previous NSF templates as obsolete in their drop-down menu.

Maintain Your Plan

Hopefully, your NSF grant application will be accepted, and you’ll be on your way to starting your research project! As you begin your work, you’ll want to periodically revisit your plan to ensure that it still fits your needs. Maintaining your DMS Plan will help you adhere to your commitments to the NSF and showcase your ability to manage your data in future grants.

Sample NSF Plans

Where Can I Get Help?

NSF Resources

Harvard Resources