diff --git a/spras/config/config.py b/spras/config/config.py
index abfddd64..ff0a7180 100644
--- a/spras/config/config.py
+++ b/spras/config/config.py
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ def __init__(self, raw_config: dict[str, Any]):
         self.out_dir = parsed_raw_config.reconstruction_settings.locations.reconstruction_dir
         # A dictionary to store configured datasets against which SPRAS will be run
         self.datasets: dict[str, DatasetSchema] = {}
+        # A dictionary to store dataset categories with their associated dataset labels
+        self.dataset_categories: dict[str, list[str]] = {}
         # A dictionary to store configured gold standard data against output of SPRAS runs
         self.gold_standards = None
         # The hash length SPRAS will use to identify parameter combinations.
@@ -119,10 +121,19 @@ def process_datasets(self, raw_config: RawConfig):
         # Convert to dicts to simplify the yaml logging
         for dataset in raw_config.datasets:
             label = dataset.label
-            if label.lower() in [key.lower() for key in self.datasets.keys()]:
+            if label.casefold() in [key.casefold() for key in self.datasets.keys()]:
                 raise ValueError(f"Datasets must have unique case-insensitive labels, but the label {label} appears at least twice.")
             self.datasets[label] = dataset
 
+            # Extra check for conflicting categories which we don't store, yet.
+            category = dataset.category
+            if category:
+                if category.casefold() in [key.casefold() for key in self.datasets.keys()]:
+                    raise ValueError(f"Dataset categories can not appear as (case-insensitive) labels, yet category {category} appears as a label.")
+
+                category_dataset_labels = self.dataset_categories.setdefault(category, [])
+                category_dataset_labels.append(dataset.label)
+
         # parse gold standard information
         self.gold_standards = {gold_standard.label: dict(gold_standard) for gold_standard in raw_config.gold_standards}
 
diff --git a/spras/config/dataset.py b/spras/config/dataset.py
index 9af41338..6fb03ff5 100644
--- a/spras/config/dataset.py
+++ b/spras/config/dataset.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import Annotated
+from typing import Annotated, Optional
 
 from pydantic import AfterValidator, BaseModel, ConfigDict
 
@@ -19,5 +19,7 @@ class DatasetSchema(BaseModel):
     edge_files: list[LoosePathLike]
     other_files: list[LoosePathLike]
     data_dir: LoosePathLike
+    category: Optional[str] = None
+    "The dataset category, for working with dataset collections in the configuration."
 
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra='forbid')
diff --git a/spras/dataset.py b/spras/dataset.py
index 0e8f9de1..a2c74b18 100644
--- a/spras/dataset.py
+++ b/spras/dataset.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import pickle as pkl
 import warnings
-from typing import Union
+from typing import NotRequired, Union
 
 import pandas as pd
 
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ def __init__(self, dataset_params: DatasetSchema):
         """
 
         self.label = dataset_params.label
+        self.category = dataset_params.category
 
         # Get file paths from config
         # TODO support multiple edge files
diff --git a/test/test_config.py b/test/test_config.py
index 41551c38..1015f6ee 100644
--- a/test/test_config.py
+++ b/test/test_config.py
@@ -39,12 +39,14 @@ def get_test_config():
         },
         "datasets": [{
             "label": "alg1",
+            "category": "category1",
             "data_dir": "fake",
             "edge_files": [],
             "other_files": [],
             "node_files": []
         }, {
             "label": "alg2",
+            "category": "category2",
             "data_dir": "faux",
             "edge_files": [],
             "other_files": [],
@@ -238,6 +240,28 @@ def test_correct_dataset_label(self):
             test_config["datasets"] = [test_dict]
             config.init_global(test_config)  # no error should be raised
 
+    def test_correct_dataset_category(self):
+        test_config = get_test_config()
+        config.init_global(test_config)
+        assert config.config.dataset_categories
+        assert len(config.config.dataset_categories["category1"]) == 1
+        assert len(config.config.dataset_categories["category2"]) == 1
+
+    def test_multiple_dataset_category(self):
+        test_config = get_test_config()
+        for dataset in test_config["datasets"]:
+            dataset["category"] = "category1"
+        config.init_global(test_config)
+        assert config.config.dataset_categories
+        assert len(config.config.dataset_categories["category1"]) == 2
+
+    def test_bad_dataset_category(self):
+        test_config = get_test_config()
+        for dataset in test_config["datasets"]:
+            dataset["category"] = "alg2"
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError): # categories can not match dataset labels
+            config.init_global(test_config)
+
     def test_error_gs_label(self):
         test_config = get_test_config()
         error_labels = ["test$", "@test'"]