Data and research materials management is the process of gathering, organizing, curating, preserving, and sharing information generated during a research project and throughout the lifecycle of the data.
All federal funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Health (NIH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, require scholars to submit data management plans as part of their research grant applications. Often these plans include provisions for making data publicly accessible. Increasingly, private funding agencies like the Gates Foundation, also require data management plans.
It's important to begin planning for the collection, use, preservation, and sharing of your data and research materials from the beginning of your projects. Use the tabs to the left to get started.