Application Assistance

Research data management begins even before a research project gets underway. Many third-party funding agencies, such as the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), as well as international funding programs, including those of the European Union, now expect researchers to at least outline coherent concepts for research data management as part of their grant applications. 

The requirements of individual funding agencies can vary considerably. While in some cases it is sufficient to outline a research data management (RDM) plan on half a page within the proposal text, other funding agencies expect more comprehensive descriptions of planned data management, including fully completed data management plans (DMPs).

When planning and describing your own research data management within a grant proposal, the most important factor is ensuring that it is precisely tailored to the planned research project. The DCH actively advises you on the planning and formulation of RDM sections as well as the use of DMPs. In addition, the Cologne Data Center offers reviews of research data management concepts prior to the submission of a third-party funding application, as well as the formulation of tailored text modules for your research project.