NERC requirements

What does the NERC expect?

Further sources of help

• DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN REQUIRED AT APPLICATION? All applications for NERC funding need to include a one-page Outline Data Management Plan (ODMP). Once a project is funded, the Principal Investigator should work with the relevant NERC data centre to develop this into a full data management plan, which should be agreed within three to six months of the start date of the grant.
• HELP WITH COSTS? Any costs associated with preparation of the data should be included on the grant proposal. Costs associated with management of the data once it has been passed to the data centres will be funded separately, and should not be included in the grant proposal.
• DATA DEPOSIT AND TIMESCALES: All datasets with long-term value should be made available for others to use, in a timely manner and with as few restrictions as possible, usually via one of the NERC data centres. Researchers have a right to a period of exclusive use of their data, but this is normally restricted to two years from the end of data collection.
• ACCESS AND DATA SHARING: Environmental data held by the NERC data centres will generally be made freely available without any restrictions on use, except in those cases where regulations or third party rights require NERC to restrict access or to levy charges. As with all UKRI-funded research, all publications arising from NERC funding must include a statement on how the supporting data and any other relevant research materials can be accessed.

• NERC Data Policy, including link to full policy text and guidance notes
• NERC Data Management Planning, including link to DMP templates and guidance
  • NERC data management plan templates are also available via DMPonline
• Guidance on the Outline Data Management Plan
• Details of NERC Data Centres
• NERC Data Catalogue Service
• UKRI Guidance on Best Practice in the Management of Research Data
• Data Management Planning: NERC Funding Applicants – a guide prepared by the University of Bristol Research Data Service (PDF)