Research Data Management Requirements of Funding Institutions
In recent years, many national and international funding programs have issued guidelines for research data management (RDM) in the context of third-party funding applications. This guide outlines the most relevant requirements for members of Freie Universität. Below you will find the current requirements by the most relevant funders (e.g. BMBF, DFG, European Commission). Further information materials and resources complete the guide.
Funding Application Support from the RDM Team
The Research Data Management team can offer you support with funding applications. We can examine your statement on research data management for the application, review your data management plan, suggest changes, or recommend additions. Please get in contact with us at the earliest possible stage of the process if you require assistance: forschungsdaten@fu-berlin.deResearch Data Management and Funding Applications
- It is mandatory to provide information on research data management (RDM) in most funding applications.
- Some funding programs require a data management plan.
- Personnel expenses and material costs related to RDM are partially eligible for funding.
- The following aspects must be covered in any application or data management plan:
- Relevant RDM guidelines (e.g., FAIR principles, research data policy of the research institution, subject-specific recommendations)
- Data or data types to be generated and/or re-used within the project
- Planned use of IT infrastructures (such as for backup or storage)
- Publication of data, for example, in a suited repository
- Storage of data after the project has ended
Requirements of Selected Funding Institutions
RDM requirements differ not only with regard to the respective funding institution, but also depending on the specific funding line or funding program. The following information may be updated by the respective bodies over time, rendering the information cited here incorrect. Please check each call for proposals for the most recent version of RDM guidelines, including deviating or additional requirements.
- No systematised guidelines for handling research data; review of the call for proposals required.
- Calls for increased compliance with FAIR principles regarding data collection, data use, and data archiving. [1]
- Expenses for research data management are eligible for funding. [1]
- It endorses some subject-specific guidelines (such as for education research, coastal and marine research, basic physics research on large-scale equipment).[2]
- [1] Research Data Action Plan (html) (January 1st, 2021, in German only) summarises key principles applicable to the handling of research data.
- [2] Checklist for funding applications (last accessed: March 24, 2023, in German only) developed for education research, but applicable to other disciplines.
- A data management plan forms part of the project description for the outline submission and full proposal.
- The data management plan must be updated and attached for interim and final reports.
- Research data should be documented and, if possible, published.
- Costs for RDM are eligible for funding and should be included in the preliminary calculation when drawing up the initial concept.
- Info Sheet on Research Data Management(PDF) (February, 2024, in German only)
- Research Data Management Plan Outline Phase (DOCX) (December 18, 2023, in German only)
- Research Data Management Plan Project Phase (DOCX) (January 15, 2024, in German only)
-
Including information on research data management (RDM) is obligatory in applications for third-party funding for both individual and collaborative projects (individual research grants, Walter Benjamin Program, Emmy Noether Program, Research Units, Priority Programs, Collaborative Research Centers, and Research Training Groups).
- It is possible to apply for funding to cover costs incurred for personnel expenses and material costs related to RDM. These include “personnel expenses for the preparation or transfer of data to existing repositories, as well as any software and hardware required for this purpose.” User fees or membership fees for infrastructures can also be described and applied for under “Other costs.”[1]
- Research data should be published as promptly as possible, provided that this is in line with the principles of data protection, copyright, etc.
- Handling of Research Data (PDF) (December 21, 2021) contains a checklist for the section on how to address research data on applications.
- Guidelines on the Handling of Research Data (PDF) (September 30, 2015)
- Subject-Specific Recommendations on the Handling of Research Data (last updated: June 16, 2023) developed in cooperation with DFG committees.
- Handling of Research Data (last updated: May 25, 2023) provides an overview of DFG information on RDM and useful contacts.
- Research Data in Connection with the Funding Programs (last updated: February 22, 2022) provides specific details on different funding programs.
- [1] Information on Available Resources (last updated: February 22, 2022) outlines what types of funding are available for RDM.
Horizon Europe
- Information on research data management and open science practices must be included in the proposal.
- A data management plan must be submitted within six months after the start of the project; A DMP can be therefore planned as a deliverable of one work package.
- Research outputs should be managed in line with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).
- If possible, research data should be published in a suitable open access repository (principle “as open as possible, as closed as necessary”).
- Costs for the open access publication of data are eligible for funding.
- Model Grant Agreement (PDF) (version 1.2, April 4, 2024) provides current requirements for research data management, p. 93.
- Programme Guide (PDF) (version 4.0., Octorber 15, 2023) includes detailed guide on how to prepare a proposal, description of open science practices (including research data management) and useful resources, p. 40–56.
- Annotated Model Grant Agreement (PDF) (version 1.0, May 1, 2023), Section 7 addresses key requirements (creating a data management plan, publishing the data in a suitable repository, validation, metadata) and how they are met, p. 375–378.
- Example Application Form (PDF) (version 8.0, April 4, 2024), Section 1.2 Methodology is particularly relevant (Part B – page 9 of 23); max. one page of the proposal should address research data management.
- Data Management Plan Template (DOCX) (version 1.1, April 4, 2022).
- Webseite OpenAIRE[1] Guide RDM in Horizon Europe Proposals (last updated: June 13, 2022) lists which information is mandatory on proposals and which additional information is recommended.
[1] OpenAIRE (Open Access Infrastructure for Research in Europe) is a pan-European infrastructure for promoting open scientific publishing (https://www.openaire.eu/)
European Research Council (ERC)
- The Horizon Europe requirements outlined above also apply to ERC grants.
- Open Research Data and Data Management Plans (PDF) (version 4.1, April 20, 2022), from the European Research Council / Scientific Council of the European Commission, summarises research data management requirements and provides an overview of the sections required in the data management plan.
-
ERC Data Management Plan Template (DOCX) (April 1, 2021)
- A data management plan is required for the application in the case of data-driven projects.[1]
- Generated data should be stored in public, non-commercial repositories.
- Additional funding for the preparation of data can be requested.
- Open Science Policy of the Volkswagen Foundation (PDF) (November 2021)
- [1] Basic Data Management Plan (RTF) (last accessed: April 18, 2024)
- Data Reuse – Additional Funding for the Preparation and Storage of Research Data (last accessed: April 18, 2024)