Data management and sharing plans (DMSPs) are short documents that outline how a research team will organize, store, preserve, and share their research data during and after data collection. Two major funders changed how these plans are submitted in 2026: the National Science Foundation (NSF) now collects the plan through a structured webform in Research.gov that is tailored to your directorate, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) replaced its narrative format with a shorter, mostly yes/no format page. The underlying expectations have not softened; the National Science Foundation (NSF) requires that data supporting funded publications be shared at the time of publication, with any exceptions justified in the plan itself.

Attend this workshop to learn how DMPTool, a free online resource, can help you draft, collaborate on, and get feedback on your data management and sharing plan (DMSP) before you enter it into a funder system. DMPTool now offers templates that mirror the Research.gov webform, including directorate-specific versions, along with the 2026 National Institutes of Health (NIH) format.

Upon attending this presentation, you should be able to:

• List the components of a data management and sharing plan (DMSP) and identify which funder requires which format.
• Access DMPTool with your University of Pittsburgh credentials.
• Select the right template for your funder and create a draft.
• Transfer your draft into the Research.gov webform or the National Institutes of Health format page.
• Identify a repository that assigns a persistent identifier and explain when your data must be shared.
• Submit your draft plan for feedback from University Library System (ULS) or Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) librarians through DMPTool.

Already hold an award? Bring it. Investigators with active National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards need a plan in the updated format with their next progress report, and from October 1, 2026 onward, changes to an approved plan are reported in the Research Performance Progress Report rather than through a prior-approval request.

Can't make it to this workshop? You can always contact us with your questions about this or other digital scholarship and publishing topics! Read more about Digital Scholarship & Publishing support.