Beginning April 27, 2026, NSF replaced the traditional Data Management Plan PDF with a structured webform integrated directly into Research.gov, as outlined in NSF PAPPG 24-1, Supplement 2.
The webform is generated based on the primary Directorate of the proposal selected at the time of proposal creation, and it must be completed in order to submit a proposal unless a justification is provided.
What sections does the new webform include?
The form populates a table consisting of the following sections:
- Data or Research Product Category General Information
- Access Policies and Limitations
- Data Standards and Metadata
- Data or Research Product Provenance
- Public Archiving
- Timeline for Public Accessibility
- Data Availability
- Accountability
Key things to know:
- The webform is tailored to the proposal’s primary Directorate.
- The DMSP will only be accessible on Research.gov, which may make it harder for collaboration between researchers and data librarians.
- Recipients are required to share all data supporting NSF-funded publications at the time of publication.
https://www.nsf.gov/policies/document/pappg24-1-supplement-2