Federal agencies require that publications resulting from federally funded research be made freely available to the public within one year of publication. Public access helps advance science, improve health, and ensure transparency in federally funded research.

The NIH Public Access Policy, implemented in 2008, ensures that peer-reviewed articles resulting from NIH-funded grants, contracts, and subawards are made publicly available, and several other federal agencies have also established policies requiring public access to research they fund.

Why Pubic Access Matters

Making your publications publicly available:

  • Complies with federal funding requirements
  • Increases the visibility and impact of your research
  • Supports open science and public trust

Compliance Support at UMB

Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HSHSL) provides guidance and support for researchers:

  • Check your NIH compliance status
  • Assist with submission steps to ensure compliance
  • Provide one-on-one consultations
  • Offer workshops for your research group

Step-by-step instructions for compliance are available on the HSHSL website.

  • Grants: Active anytime from 10/1/2007 to present
  • Contracts: Executed on or after 4/7/2008
  • Publications: Peer-reviewed articles from funded work accepted for publication on or after 4/7/2008
  • Citations: Biosketches, bibliographies/references for NIH grants, and RPPRs
  • Tools:

  1. Check your article status using My NCBI
  2. Submit your articles to PubMed Central using approved methods
  3. Ensure your copyright agreement allows public access within 12 months
  4. Include your publication in NIH reports and RPPRs as required