In early 2026, both National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced changes to the format and creation of their Data Management and Sharing Plans (DMS Plan). Here, we summarize how the changes will impact your proposal preparation and provide resources to help you prepare for the updated forms.
In 2026, disruptions in federal grant programs have led to an unusual convergence of early career proposal deadlines that were previously more staggered. In many cases proposal preparation time – the time between the release of funding opportunity announcements and proposal due dates – has also shortened.
While this environment presents challenges, it also creates an important opportunity: with thoughtful planning and early preparation, you can position yourself for success. Starting early and planning strategically is no longer just helpful, it is essential.
NIH is requiring personnel documents for all submissions due May 8 and after to be created using the Common Form in SciENcv (NOT-OD-26-079). This affects proposals, RPPRs and JIT submissions. Details of the changes can be found in the original notice (NOT-OD-26-018).
UPDATE: As of January 30, 2026 we are anticipating a partial federal government shutdown starting at midnight Friday Jan 30th. If it happens, this partial shutdown will impact only Dept of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Defense, Transportation, Homeland Security, State, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development.
Not impacted are NSF, NASA, NIST, NOAA, Dept of Commerce, DOE, and USDA. These agencies should continue operating as normal.
IMPORTANT: Federal requirements continue to evolve, so if you have any questions regarding whether you need a foreign justification please reach out to the Sponsored Programs Office (SPO) at [email protected].
What is a foreign justification and why do I need one?
The National Science Foundation (NSF) uses two primary criteria to evaluate proposals: intellectual merit (how your work enhances your field) andbroader impacts (how your work benefits society).
NIH recently announced a plan to limit PIs to submitting no more than 6 grant applications per calendar year, including new, renewal, resubmission or revision applications. What does that mean for UC Davis investigators?
