DMPs and RDM in grant applications
A data management plan (DMP) provides a useful structure for the handling of research data gathered in a research project. A DMP is a forward-looking effort to organize the research project. It addresses technical, methodological, logistical as well as legal aspects pertinent to the handling of digital data. Funding agencies are also increasingly demanding information on the handling of research data in project applications.
We offer a data management plan guideline (available also in German language). The guideline follows the DFG requirements for the handling of research data in funded projets. The helptexts contain links to additional ressources and relevant services available at the University of Bonn.
We advise you individually on the creation of a DMP for your research project. You can also send us your draft version which we will revise and comment: researchdata@uni-bonn.de
DMP-Service contact person
In the meantime, all major agencies funding research projects expect structured research data management and compliance with the FAIR principles.
Even though our site is regularly updated: Please make sure that there are no updates or changes for the respective funding organization!
You are welcome to send us your draft application or passages relevant to research data management for comments: forschungsdaten@uni-bonn.de After consultation with us, you are welcome to name the Research Data Service Center as an advisory unit in the application, e.g. by using the wording: "The Research Data Service Center at the University of Bonn supports the project's research data management planning and implementation."
You can get support for your project application beyond questions of research data management from the funding advisory service or at foerderberatung@uni-bonn.de
The German Research Fundation (DFG)
In 2022, the DFG specified its RDM requirements, which are also based on the Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice. The DFG has created a mandatory checklist for the section 2.4 "Handling of research data" in project applications. When preparing your project application, you can also use our guide, which offers help texts and information on services and additional resources. A growing number of DFG review boards have also published subject-specific statements on the handling of research data. These serve as a specification or supplement to the general DFG information and must also be taken into account. Plan at least one page of text for point 2.4. It is also possible to submit a data management plan as an attachment to the application.
See also: DFG - Handling of research data
The European Union (EU)
A strong commitment to Open Science and RDM is anchored in the Horizon Europe funding framework program (2021-2027). This means that statements on RDM and compliance with the FAIR principles are mandatory. Funded projects must also submit a data management plan within the first six months of the project and regularly update it.
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
In 2020, the BMBF recognized increasing importance of research data in the Aktionsplan Forschungsdaten and committed itself to the FAIR principles. Precise requirements are formulated in the individual BMBF announcements.
Volkswagen Foundation
The VW Foundation commits to RDM and to the FAIR principles in its 2021 Open Science Policy. For projects in which “larger amounts of data are generated”, applicants are expected to submit a data management plan.
- Michener, William K. (2015): Ten Simple Rules for Creating a Good Data Management Plan. In: PLoS computational biology 11 (10), e1004525.
- Overview information on DMPs at forschunugsdaten.info [in German]
- DCC. (2013). Checklist for a Data Management Plan. v.4.0. Edinburgh: Digital Curation Centre.
- A shorter DMP checklist: Briney, Kristin A. (2020) Data Management Plan (DMP) Checklist.
- A short checklist for DMP creation [in German]: Orientierung: Helbig, Kerstin (2015): Hinweise und Checkliste zur Erstellung eines Datenmanagementplans
- DMP templates for requirements of DFG, BMBF & EU Horizon 2020 at HU Berlin [in German]
- Gerlach et al. (2019): Gerlach et al. (2019): Fact Sheet: RDM Funding - Overview of Funders' Data Policies
- DMPs on Zenodo : liber-dmp and dmp-examples
- DMPs of the Rio Journal
- DMPs of the LIBER Research Data Management Working Group
- Hints and examples at the HU Berlin
- DMPs from DMP Tool
- DMPs of the DCC
- DMPS from DMP online
- DMPs at the McGill University
Discipline-specific resources:
- Minn & Lemaire (2017): Forschungsdatenmanagement in den Geisteswissenschaften. Eine Planungshilfe für die Erarbeitung eines digitalen Forschungskonzepts und die Erstellung eines Datenmanagementplans (Universität Trier eSciences Working Papers, Nr. 03), Trier
- Clarin-D: Wizard zur Planerstellung für das Datenmanagement in den Geisteswissenschaften
- Collins, Susan (2017): Data Management Plans for Historians: How to Document and Protect Your Research
- PARTENOS: DMP Researcher Template for Archaeological Datasets
- ARIADNE: Guide for Archaeological Data Management Planning
- NEH (US): Data Management Plans from successful grant applications
- DMP-Tool von GFBio - Gesellschaft für Biologische Daten e.V.
- NFDI DataPlant: DataPlan - generate a DMP easily
Mansour et al. (2023): FAIRmat, Guide to Writing a Research Data Management Plan. (material science)
- Verbund Forschungsdaten-Bildung: Standardisierter DMP für die Bildungsforschung
- Verbund Forschungsdaten-Bildung: DMP-Checklisten und Muster
- Verbund Forschungsdaten Bildung (2015): Checkliste zur Erstellung eines Datenmanagementplans in der empirischen Bildungsforschung
- Rat für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsdaten (SWD): Forschungsdatenmanagement in den Sozial-, Verhaltens- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften (insb. Abschnit 2, S.11ff)
- CESSDA: list of Data Management Questions (2018)
- CESSDA: Muster-DMP für qualitative Daten
- CESSDA: Muster-DMP für quantitative Daten