Data Management for Grants and Other Projects

Data Management Plans

A data management plan (DMP) asks you to think through possible problems:

• Where is your data?
• Is your data backed up? Somewhere reliable and safe?
• Is your storage sufficiently secure for the sensitivity of your project?
• Is your data documented? Could you confidently recreate your results?
• What if key personnel leave the project?
• What happens to the data after the project is over?
• Can someone else use your data without your help?

By answering these questions and occasionally revisiting the answers, you will contribute to the long-term health of your project.

DMPTool

Projects that receive funding from federal agencies and many other sources require that a data management plan be submitted as part of the grant application. Many funding agencies offer a template for this purpose. When applying for a grant, consider using the DMPTool to help draft your plan, share drafts with colleagues and reviewers, and export your plan to a .txt or .rtf file.

The DMPTool:

• Is accessible using your KU Online ID
• Contains most U.S. agency templates
• Includes local KU resources inside many templates
• Offers sample DMPs

KU Research Toolbox

KU's Research Toolbox (SSO required) contains links to essential KU resources for applying for and managing grants.