An introduction to UK funders' research data management policies and how the costs of supporting RDM can be recovered via grant applications.

1. Funders’ data policies and costing
RDM in grant applications
Sarah Jones
DCC, University of Glasgow
sarah.jones@glasgow.ac.uk
Twitter: sjDCC
Funded by:

2. RESEARCH FUNDER DATA POLICIES

3. Research funders’ policies
www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/policy-and-legal/overview-funders-data-policies

4. Summary page for each funder
www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/policy-and-legal/research-funding-policies/ahrc

5. Key differences in policies
• EPSRC does not want DMPs in grant applications
• Preservation periods range from 3 years to in perpetuity
– most funders ask for 10+ years
• ESRC and NERC support designated data centres
• ESRC and NERC may withhold the final grant payment if data
aren’t offered for deposit
• Cancer Research UK states explicitly that it will NOT provide
additional funds for RDM

6. Ultimately funders expect:
• timely release of data
- once patents are filed or on (acceptance for) publication
• open data sharing
- minimal or no restrictions if possible
• preservation of data
- typically 10+ years for data of ‘long-term value’
See the RCUK Common Principles on data policy:
www.rcuk.ac.uk/research/Pages/DataPolicy.aspx

7. RCUK Common Principles in brief
1. Make data openly available where possible
2. Have policies & plans. Preserve data of long-term value
3. Metadata for discovery / reuse. Link to data from publications
4. Be mindful of legal, ethical and commercial constraints
5. Allow limited embargoes to protect the effort of creators
6. Acknowledge sources to recognise IP and abide by T&Cs
7. Ensure cost-effective use of public funds for RDM
www.rcuk.ac.uk/research/Pages/DataPolicy.aspx

8. COSTING RDM INTO GRANTS

9. RDMF: funding RDM event
25th April 2013 at Aston University
www.dcc.ac.uk/events/research-data-management-forum-rdmf/
rdmf-special-event-funding-research-data-management
Included a panel with representatives from BBSRC, EPSRC, NERC, MRC, STFC and the Wellcome Trust
to answer 30 questions submitted by audience. A written response is now online.
Blog reports:
• Supporting research data management costs through grant funding:
http://blogs.rcuk.ac.uk/2013/07/09/supporting-research-data-management-costs-through-
grant-funding
• A conversation with the funders: www.dcc.ac.uk/blog/conversation-funders
• Funding RDM: https://research-computing.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2013/05/01/funding-rdm
• For which RDM activities will UK research funders pay?
http://mrdevidence.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2013/05/01/for-which-rdm-activities-will-uk-research-
funders-pay

10. Eligible costs
The RCUK Common Principles state that:
“It is appropriate to use public funds to support the
management and sharing of publicly-funded research data.”
At the RDMF, funders clarified that all elements of RDM
specific to a research project are allowable.
Institutions need to manage their public funding streams to
allocate appropriate budgets to RDM.

11. How should costs be recovered?
It is for institutions to decide which elements to recover:
• Directly (i.e. directly allocated or incurred on grants)
• Indirectly (by using QR funding or indirects on grants)
If the cost of RDM services and infrastructure is already
recovered via your institution’s indirect cost rate, it cannot
also be applied for as a direct cost.
Guiding principle: don’t charge for the same thing twice

12. What to charge and how?
Direct costs
• In-project costs that must be incurred before the end of the grant
• Potentially hardware, staff, expenses, costs of preparing data for deposit...
• Could include charges levied by repositories (pay once store forever)
• May also include costs ordinarily recovered indirectly (e.g. storage) if the
requirement is exceptional and exceeds the norm
Indirect costs
• The general cost of providing RDM services and infrastructure
• Designated data services should be used if provided
• Outsourcing to a third-party is also an option
Remember to make a clear justification for any costs

13. Be specific for each grant
• A flat rate charging structure for RDM services (e.g.
10% of each grant) is not appropriate.
• The value of a research grant is not a good proxy for
the volume or complexity of data it may generate.
• Base costs on each specific case and make a clear
justification for them. They should be auditable.

14. Key messages
• All costs are eligible, but:
– Direct costs must be incurred before a grant ends
– Nothing can be double funded (recovered indirectly and as a direct)
• Researchers are expected to use designated data repositories.
• There is no rule of thumb to measure the proportion of a grant
that may acceptably be spent on research data management.
• A clear justification of resources is needed for each specific case.

15. Thanks – any questions?
DCC guidance, tools and case studies:
www.dcc.ac.uk/resources
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