Created in response to an environmental disaster, GRIIDC has always focused efforts on gaining trust with users. After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2011, GRIIDC was tasked with rapidly developing a data repository for researchers funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) who were currently conducting studies and had never shared data before. The repository also had to cater to multiple disciplines, given the broad environmental and sociological effects of the spill. Although researchers were mandated to share their data, enforcement was a challenge requiring time and effort. GRIIDC has learned to gain user trust by continuous communication through one-on-one support, training and workshops, and participation in conferences. GRIIDC also offers helpful services that address every step of the data management life cycle: planning, organizing, submitting, curating, and distributing. The dataset monitoring page allows data submitters, managers, and funding agencies the ability to track the status of a dataset throughout the GRIIDC data package review process. Following TRUST and FAIR principles, GRIIDC collects detailed metadata that includes standardized keywords, data use license, spatial extent, point of contact, parameters and units, among other information. Dataset landing pages contain information to help a user decide if they want to download the data, including methods, file format, point of contact in case a user has questions, and any associated publications. A suggested citation is provided to encourage proper credit of the author, instilling trust in the data sharing process and alleviating concerns about theft. Data are also curated to ensure they are properly documented with detailed metadata and are in non-proprietary formats that will be useful in the future. Providing easy to use submission and planning tools and multiple opportunities for training helps build and keep trust with users. Serving the 10-year GoMRI program has established a track record with users who are familiar with the GRIIDC system and are more willing to share data from other funded projects with GRIIDC. GRIIDC continues to prioritize user needs and develop features that follow FAIR and TRUST principles.

GRIIDC, a multidisciplinary data repository, was formed in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Due to its origin, GRIIDC initially focused on user needs to ingest data quickly. The repository has since shifted focus to meeting data sharing standards and best practices that have been developed since GRIIDC’s inception. FAIR data principles, ensuring data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable, have become the guiding light for GRIIDC’s development priorities and data curation policies. Well-documented ISO-1911502 metadata is created for each dataset and includes user-provided and automated attribute information. Abstract, parameters and units, keywords, spatial extent, citation information, data usage policy, related publication DOI, and other information are provided in the metadata in human- and machine-readable forms, meeting many FAIR principles. The data-sharing community is always developing new standards including the TRUST principles published in 2020 for data repositories: Transparency, Responsibility, User Focus, Sustainability, and Technology. GRIIDC has and continues to address aspects of the TRUST principles including providing terms of use to users and following metadata standards, which allows transparent and responsible usage of data. Providing services to data depositors and monitoring for funders and journal editors are examples of ways that GRIIDC has prioritized a user focus. The repository is also committed to providing interoperable and re-usable data to researchers from multiple disciplines. Current software and policy developments will further GRIIDC’s adoption of TRUST principles. New software is near completion to support controlled vocabularies, which will add capabilities for users. Additionally, a long- term data management plan is being developed to improve transparency and sustainability of the repository. Data repositories have a responsibility to continue to adopt community standards and best practices. GRIIDC is committed to learn, grow, and adapt to support the improvement of open data.