Writing a data management plan

Most major research funders require some form of documentation at the application stage, to explain how research data will be managed.

Applicants are asked to describe any research data they intend to create, how data will be stored during the lifetime of a project and how valuable data will be shared after the project has ended. Applicants are also asked to say how much research data management will cost. Some funders will expect a brief outline data management plan to be submitted with a grant application and a more detailed plan to be developed after funding is secured. If you would like the Research Data Service to review your data management plan please email it to us at data-bris@bristol.ac.uk.

For further information see our guides: Anticipating the costs of research data management (PDF, 342kB) and Research data evaluation guide (PDF, 313kB).

Useful tools

DMPonline is a platform for creating data management plans and provides access to templates for all the major UK and EU funding bodies.

To ask for a review of your data management plan (DMP), add data-bris@bristol.ac.uk as an editor (available under the 'Share' tab). You can also download a copy of your DMP and email it to data-bris@bristol.ac.uk.

UK and international funder policies at a glance

The key data management requirements of the major UK and international funders are shown in the dropdowns below, and more detailed planning guides are available at the bottom of the page.

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	Yes
Policy includes software?	Yes
Data publication timeframe?	Not stated
Data preservation timeframe?	Minimum 3 years after project end
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Not stated
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	No
Data publication timeframe?	At publication of findings and within 3 years of project end
Data preservation timeframe?	Minimum 10 years after project end
Preferred data repository?	Yes - see list
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Not stated
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	Yes (stated in correspondence, not policy)
Data publication timeframe?	At acceptance for publication of main findings
Data preservation timeframe?	Minimum 5 years after grant end
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Not stated
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	No
Funder provides DMP template?	N/A
Policy includes software?	Yes
Data publication timeframe?	Within 12 months of data generation (metadata only)
Data preservation timeframe?	Minimum 10 years after last use
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Yes (non-specific)
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	No
Data publication timeframe?	Within 3 months of grant end
Data preservation timeframe?	Not stated
Preferred data repository?	Yes (UK Data Archive)
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Yes (final award payment withheld)
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	Yes

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes (due within 6 months of project start)
Funder provides DMP template?	Yes
Policy includes software?	Yes
Data publication timeframe?	Not stated
Data preservation timeframe?	Not stated
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Not stated
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	Yes
Policy includes software?	No
Data publication timeframe?	Not stated
Data preservation timeframe?	Not stated
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	No
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Not stated
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	Yes
Policy includes software?	Yes (see separate policy on preservation of model code and output)
Data publication timeframe?	As soon as possible after data collection; maximum 2 year embargo permitted
Data preservation timeframe?	Not stated
Preferred data repository?	Yes (NERC Data Centre - see list)
Policy compliance monitored?	Not stated
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Yes (award payments withheld and/or ineligibility for future funding)
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	Yes

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	No
Data publication timeframe?	At acceptance for publication of main findings
Data preservation timeframe?	Minimum 3 years after grant end
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Yes (non-specific)
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	Yes

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	Yes
Data publication timeframe?	Not stated
Data preservation timeframe?	Not stated
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Not stated
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Not stated
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	Yes

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	No
Data publication timeframe?	Within 6 months of publication of findings
Data preservation timeframe?	Minimum 10 years after project end
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Not stated
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Not stated
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	Yes
Data publication timeframe?	Not stated
Data preservation timeframe?	Not stated
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Yes (ineligibility for future funding)
Data management costs covered by funder?	Not stated
Data management support service provided by funder?	No

Policy area	Requirement
DMP required in grant application?	Yes
Funder provides DMP template?	No
Policy includes software?	Yes
Data publication timeframe?	At publication of findings
Data preservation timeframe?	Not stated
Preferred data repository?	No
Policy compliance monitored?	Yes (as part of end of grant reporting)
Sanctions for non-compliance?	Yes (ineligibility for future funding)
Data management costs covered by funder?	Yes
Data management support service provided by funder?	No