NIDDK Data Management & Sharing

The goal of the NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) policy is to maximize the availability of data from NIH-supported research to advance NIH’s mission to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The DMS policy provides a consistent, minimum expectation of data management and sharing for all research supported by the agency. To help investigators implementing the NIH DMS policy, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) offers Institute-specific guidance for drafting a DMS Plan, as well as tools and examples to supplement the NIH DMS policy and resources.

Overview – Developing a DMS Plan

Follow the stages below when developing a DMS Plan.

1. Evaluate study design and objectives
   • Identify study design elements, formats, and content to include in a DMS Plan.
   • Evaluate sharing needs according to all relevant policies governing the data.
2. Identify data types that will be generated
   • Scientific data include any data needed to validate and replicate research findings.
   • Scientific data do not include laboratory notebooks, preliminary analyses, completed case report forms, drafts of scientific papers, plans for future research, peer reviews, communications with colleagues, or physical objects such as laboratory specimens.
3. Determine applicability of the policy to your research data
   • The 2023 DMS Policy applies to all research funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH that generates scientific data.
   • The policy applies to all NIH research regardless of funding level, including: grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, intramural research, or other funding agreements.
4. Consider standards and related tools appropriate for your research data
   • NIDDK expects that investigators will use data standards widely accepted within the community.
   • Metadata should be described in the DMS Plan.
   • Investigators may choose to use existing NIH Common Data Element (CDE) resources; for example, the NIH CDE Repository.
   • Investigators should list and describe resources (e.g., code, software, tools, analytic workflows) used to manage data or develop datasets to be shared.
5. Select one or more repositories by considering
   • Policy compliance and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles.
   • Desirable characteristics such as unique persistent identifiers, long-term sustainability, and other characteristics.
   • Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requirements, availability of organism- or data type-specific established repositories, and consortium requirements.
   • Data preservation and submission timelines for your study.
   • NIH and NIDDK repository guidance to select one or more repositories where data will be shared.
6. Generate DMS Plan
   • Use the NIDDK DMS Tools and Resources.
   • Follow NIH guidance for estimating allowable DMS costs.
   • Update DMS Plan, when needed.

Have a Question?

For additional information, please contact your Program Officer. You can find their contact information in Research Programs & Contacts.