Created in 2003, the Final NIH Statement on Sharing Research Data established that investigators submitting an NIH application seeking $500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a plan for data sharing or state why data sharing is not possible.
As of January 25 2023, NIH's new Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing will come into effect, replacing the old policy. This will require all NIH funded researchers to prospectively submit a plan outlining how scientific data from their research will be managed and shared, and to comply with the approved plans.
Review the materials this page for more information on making a data management plan and selecting a repository for health or scientific data.
The NSF Data Sharing Policy states that "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." Each grant application submitted must include a two page Data Management Plan which describes how this sharing will be conducted.
Standards that define the content, format, and depth of Data Management plans are still emerging in many fields. Review these resources to understand typical contents, find sample plans, and gain skills in creating Data Management Plans. If submitting a data management plan for a grant, review the current guidance from the granting agency to ensure you follow their current standards.
Some funders will require you to use a specific repository for your data. Others will allow you to select a repository that meets specific requirements. It is always a best practice to try to select a repository that includes domain- or field- specific data, as this increases the chances of it being found and re-used. If you have data about human subjects, be aware that there may be additional privacy rules that apply to this data, which might affect your choice of repository.
These are some data repositories or lists of repositories that are commonly required or used in the health and life sciences. The Libraries do not endorse any specific repository.