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Research Data Management: Data Management Plans

This guide provides information on data management resources and services for the CSUSB community.

A data management plan (DMP) is a supplementary document that describes how you will collect, manage, and disseminate your research data over the course of your proposed project. Many funding agencies now require these plans for all research grant applications.

For a list of common guidelines from various federal agencies or private funders, visit the Funding Agency Guidelines tab at the left.

To build your data management plan, there are planning tools that can assist this process. The DMPTool is a web-based tool that allows users to create and share their data management plan.

DMP Tool

Here's a DMP Tool Quick Start Guide to create an account.

1. Click on the "Get Started" button on the DMPTool Home page.

2. At the top of the page, under "Sign In," Enter your @CSUSB.edu email, and create a password.

3. Log-in using your email and password.

After creating an account, you will follow the same steps (1-3) to access the DMPTool system in the future.

Create Plan on DMPTool

Once you are given access to the DMPTool, your landing page is My Dashboard.

Select "Create Plan" from the dashboard menu to begin your work.


The Create a New Plan tool includes step-by-step guidance on what to include in your data management plan. These guides can be customized to a number of specific funding agency requirements by using the appropriate template for your funding agency. You can also create your own template if you did not find the primary funding organization listed. Check the “No funder associated with this plan or my funder is not listed” box to build a plan with the default template in DMPTool.

Follow the prompts on the create plan page to develop your work.

Once your plan is created, you may choose who you wish to share it with (Private, Organization, or Public), and download it in any of several formats for further editing or archiving (PDF recommended).

If you have questions or need help with the DMPTool, contact jennifer.beamer@csusb.edu