In Erasmus+, communicating projects and their results is crucial to ensure impact on different levels. Depending on the action, Erasmus+ applicants are required to plan communication activities that share information about their project and results, both during and after the project. Project applications will be evaluated based on relevant criteria to ensure that these aspects are covered. The level and intensity of communication and dissemination (sharing your results) activities should be proportional to the objectives, the scope and the targets of the different actions of Erasmus+. Our guide on how to plan a Youth Exchange covers one project format, and our guide on Cooperation Partnerships covers another.
Last updated: November 2026.
What must your communication plan include?
Beneficiaries (applicants whose grant agreement has been signed by both parties) must design a communication strategy and a communication plan with these factors in mind:
🎯 Communication objectives: applicants should identify what they would like to achieve with specific communication activities, that is, to raise awareness, promote societal values, develop new partnerships for the future or influence policies and practices.
👥 Audience or target group: applicants need to define the people they would like to reach out to and that could make use of project results, and the audience or target group should be defined as specifically as possible.
📣 Channels and activities: applicants need to choose the channels and activities that are the most effective and appropriate to meet the needs of their chosen targets, such as social media, events, publications.
📦 Project results: the outputs and outcomes, such as a good practice guide, a practical tool or product, a research report or study, what knowledge and skills were gained and so on. Results should also be shared or promoted via the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform.
🗓️ Timing: applicants need to effectively plan when different activities take place (linking the timing to work plan and milestones) and agree on realistic targets. Applicants also need to ensure flexibility depending on the project progress, the change in needs of the target audience or group as well as development in policy and procedure.
📊 Key performance indicators (KPIs): performance indicators are a valuable management tool for monitoring progress during the communication and dissemination activities and evaluating success in achieving their objectives.
Beneficiaries of Erasmus+ funding must follow the communication guidelines for project beneficiaries prepared by the European Commission, and monitor and evaluate the success of their communication activities, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Our guide on how to write a strong Erasmus+ application covers the rest of the proposal.
How do you show EU funding?
Beneficiaries must clearly acknowledge the European Union's support in all communication and dissemination activities and products, such as events, websites, visual material, and publications. Beneficiaries must ensure that the European Union emblem is included in all communication materials and that the emblem respects the provisions laid out in the grant agreement or grant decision. The beneficiary's grant may be reduced if such provisions are not respected. Our guide on how to run an Erasmus+ project covers the other obligations of a funded project.
Do your results have to be open to everyone?
Yes for educational materials: Erasmus+ beneficiaries are obliged to make any educational resources and tools produced in projects supported by the Programme (documents, media, software or other materials) freely available to the public under an open license. The materials should be easily accessible and retrievable without cost or limitations, and the open license must allow the public to use, reuse, adapt and share the resource. Educational materials under an open license are known as 'Open Educational Resources' (OER). The resources should be uploaded in an editable digital form and on a suitable and openly accessible platform. Beneficiaries may choose licenses that impose some limitations, for example restrict commercial use by others, or commit others to apply the same license on derivative works. The choice has to be appropriate to the nature of the project and to the type of material in question, and the license must still allow the public to use, reuse, adapt and share the resource. The open access requirement is obligatory and is without prejudice to the intellectual property rights of the grant beneficiaries. Erasmus+ encourages beneficiaries to publish research outputs through open access pathways, and whenever possible, data collected through projects should be published as 'open data'. Our guide on Cooperation Partnerships covers the projects that produce most of these materials.
Where do results go after the project?
The Erasmus+ Project Results Platform provides access to information and results concerning all projects funded under the Erasmus+ Programme. Good practice projects, which have been identified in terms of policy relevance, impact and communication potential, are highlighted. In Small-scale Partnerships and Cooperation Partnerships, as part of the final report, beneficiaries will have to make their project results available on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform as proof that the project has been implemented, and to demonstrate the quality of its results. The final report assessment is based on the detailed descriptions of each activity carried out, information showing the level of achievement of the project objectives stated in the application and the quality of project results uploaded in the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. Project information and results displayed on the platform must fully comply with the applicable personal data rules and regulations, and compliance is primarily the responsibility of project beneficiaries under the oversight of project officers in the Agencies. Our guide on Small-scale Partnerships explains the final report for smaller projects, and our guide on how to find projects shows other uses of the platform.
How is dissemination scored in your application?
In a Youth Exchange application, experts consider the extent to which the applicant has proposed an appropriate way of disseminating project outcomes within and outside the participating organisations. The expert shall consider how the participating organisations have (together, if relevant) reflected on measures aimed at enhancing the visibility of their project and the visibility of the Erasmus+ Programme in general. In Small-scale Partnerships, the project proposal is scored on concrete and effective steps to make the results of the project known within the participating organisations, to share the results with other organisations and the public, and to publicly acknowledge the European Union funding. In Cooperation Partnerships, the project proposal is scored on concrete and effective steps to ensure the sustainability of the project, its capacity to continue having an impact and producing results after the EU grant has been used up. Our guide on how to write a strong Erasmus+ application goes through the award criteria.
What does dissemination look like in a Youth Exchange?
A Youth Exchange project consists of four stages, and the follow-up stage covers evaluation of the activities, identification and documentation of the learning outcomes of participants, as well as dissemination and use of the project's outcomes. A quality Youth Exchange relies on the active involvement of young people and participating organisations, both of whom should take an active role in all four project stages, enhancing in this way their learning and development experience. Our guide on how to plan a Youth Exchange walks through the stages, and our guide on what a Youth Exchange is explains the format.
How does dissemination work in European Solidarity Corps projects?
In the European Solidarity Corps, applicants are required to plan their communication activities aimed at sharing information about their project and results during and beyond the project life cycle. Beneficiaries of European Solidarity Corps funding must follow the communication guidelines for project beneficiaries prepared by the European Commission, and monitor and evaluate the success of their communication activities, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Beneficiaries must ensure that the European Union emblem is included in all communication material and that the emblem respects the provisions laid out in the grant agreement. The beneficiary's grant may be reduced if such provisions are not respected. In Solidarity Projects, the group should reflect together on measures aimed at the visibility of their project and the visibility of the European Solidarity Corps in general. In the support role, you encourage the involvement of the volunteer in dissemination and exploitation of results. Our guide on Solidarity Projects explains the group format, and our guide on supporting organisations explains the support role.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EU emblem mandatory?
Yes: beneficiaries must ensure that the European Union emblem is included in all communication materials and that the emblem respects the provisions laid out in the grant agreement or grant decision. The beneficiary's grant may be reduced if such provisions are not respected. Our guide on how to run an Erasmus+ project covers the other obligations of a funded project.
Can we restrict commercial use of our materials?
Yes: beneficiaries may choose licenses that restrict commercial use by others, provided that the choice is appropriate to the nature of the project and to the type of material in question, and that the license still allows the public to use, reuse, adapt and share the resource. Our guide on Cooperation Partnerships covers the projects that produce most of these materials.
Who puts the results on the Project Results Platform?
In Small-scale Partnerships and Cooperation Partnerships, as part of the final report, beneficiaries will have to make their project results available on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. Our guide on Small-scale Partnerships explains the final report for smaller projects.
Can our grant be cut for poor visibility?
Yes: if the provisions on acknowledging the European Union's support are not fully complied with, the beneficiary's grant may be reduced. Our guide on National Agencies explains who manages the grant.
Where should you start?
Depending on the action, Erasmus+ applicants are required to plan communication activities that share information about their project and results, both during and after the project. Organisations can open a page on Youth Works Hub to publish opportunities and posts. Youth Works Hub checks what organisations publish from their own pages, but the content organisations share from their own profiles is entirely the responsibility of those organisations. The Youth Works Hub pages below cover the next steps.
Related pages: how to plan a Youth Exchange · ESC Solidarity Projects · how to write a strong Erasmus+ application · how to run an Erasmus+ project · Cooperation Partnerships · Small-scale Partnerships
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=erasmus-projects
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=esc-projects
