How to write an Erasmus+ dissemination plan right

The dissemination plan is one of the most consistently underwritten sections in Erasmus+ proposals. Most applicants treat it as an afterthought — a short paragraph mentioning a project website, a few social media posts, and a final conference. Evaluators see this in almost every application they read, and it scores accordingly.

A strong dissemination plan is not about broadcasting your project to as many people as possible. It is about getting the right results to the right audiences through the right channels at the right time — and writing that strategy in a way that is specific, credible and measurable. This guide walks you through exactly how to do that for both KA210 and KA220 applications.

30 Points available for Impact — dissemination is a core sub-criterion within this

3 Questions every dissemination plan must answer: what, to whom, and how

1 Multiplier event per partner country is the standard KA220 expectation

6 Months before project end — when dissemination should start, not finish

1. What a Dissemination Plan Actually Is

Dissemination in the Erasmus+ context means getting your project’s results — the knowledge, tools, methods and findings you produce — into the hands of people and organisations who were not part of your consortium. It is not about promoting the project itself. It is about ensuring that what you learn and create has impact beyond your immediate partners.

Evaluators assess the dissemination plan as part of the Impact criterion. They are specifically checking whether:

• The plan reaches audiences beyond the consortium — not just partners sharing things with each other
• Specific outputs are named — not just “project results” in the abstract
• Channels are appropriate for the target audience — not just generic social media
• Responsibilities are assigned to named partners with specific timelines
• Dissemination begins during the project, not only at the end

2. Step 1 — Define Your Target Audiences

Before choosing any channel or activity, be precise about who you are trying to reach. Every dissemination activity in your plan should be mapped to a specific audience. Evaluators downgrade vague dissemination plans that claim to reach “the general public” or “all stakeholders” without specificity.

Distinguish between at least three levels of audience:

• Primary audience — the professionals who will directly use your results: youth workers, VET trainers, teachers, NGO coordinators, depending on your project sector
• Secondary audience — organisations and networks that can amplify reach: sector associations, professional networks, national agencies, umbrella bodies
• Policy audience — where relevant, policymakers, local authorities or national bodies who could incorporate your findings into policy or practice at a systemic level

For each audience, estimate the expected reach — how many individuals or organisations you plan to engage through each dissemination activity. These numbers feed directly into your impact indicators.

3. Step 2 — Define What You Are Disseminating

Name the specific outputs you will disseminate — not “project results” in general. Each intellectual output, training resource, toolkit or report should be listed separately with its own dissemination approach.

For each output, specify:

• Format — open-access PDF, online platform, training programme, video series, policy brief
• Language(s) — translated versions for each partner country increase reach and score higher on dissemination quality
• Access — where it will be hosted long-term; the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform is mandatory for intellectual outputs, but additional hosting on sector-specific platforms strengthens the plan
• Licence — Creative Commons or equivalent open licences signal genuine commitment to open access and are viewed positively by evaluators

4. Step 3 — Choose the Right Channels

The channel mix matters. A plan that relies entirely on social media and a project website will not score well. Evaluators expect to see a combination of channels appropriate to the sector, with the most strategic channels — those that reach decision-makers and practitioners directly — given the most prominence.

High-value channels (always include at least two):

• Sector conferences and professional events — present findings at established events your target audience already attends; name specific events where possible
• Multiplier events — structured events specifically designed to present and share project results with external audiences (see Step 4)
• Professional networks and associations — partner with sector bodies to distribute outputs through their existing channels; this reaches established audiences without building from scratch
• Policy briefs — short, targeted documents submitted to relevant local, national or European bodies; signals policy relevance and ambition
• EPALE, SALTO and sector platforms — EC-funded platforms with large established audiences in adult learning, youth work and VET
• Erasmus+ Project Results Platform — mandatory for intellectual outputs; ensures long-term discoverability

Supporting channels (useful but not sufficient alone):

• Project website — essential but not a standalone dissemination strategy
• Social media — LinkedIn is more credible than Facebook or Instagram for professional audiences; specify platforms and estimated reach
• Partner newsletters and mailing lists — useful for reaching existing networks quickly
• Academic or sector publications — relevant where the project produces research findings

5. Step 4 — Plan Your Multiplier Events

Multiplier events are structured dissemination events — workshops, seminars, conferences — specifically designed to present project results to audiences outside the consortium. For KA220, one multiplier event per partner country is the standard expectation. Their absence is a reliable indicator of a weak dissemination plan.

For each multiplier event in your plan, specify:

• Location and format — which partner country, online or in-person, duration
• Target audience — who will be invited; minimum 30–50 participants per event is a credible target for most projects
• Content — which specific outputs or findings will be presented and discussed
• Lead partner — which organisation is responsible for organising and hosting
• Timing — month within the project; multiplier events should happen in the final quarter but not in the very last month

6. Step 5 — Build a Timeline with Responsibilities

A dissemination plan without a timeline is not a plan — it is a list of intentions. For each dissemination activity, assign a responsible partner, a start date and an end date or target date. This shows evaluators that you have thought seriously about implementation, not just written a wishlist.

Key timeline principles:

• Start early — communication activities (project website, social media presence, partner newsletters) should begin in Month 1–2, not at the end
• Stagger dissemination — share interim findings and early outputs as they are produced; do not wait until everything is finalised before disseminating anything
• Distribute responsibility — each partner should lead at least one dissemination activity; a plan where the coordinator does everything flags a weak partnership
• Close with exploitation — the final 2–3 months should include activities focused on how results will continue to be used after the project ends

7. Example Dissemination Plan Table

Below is a condensed example dissemination plan for a 24-month KA220 project on digital competence for youth workers across 3 partner countries. Adapt outputs, audiences, channels and partners to your own project.

8. Dissemination for KA210: What Is Different

KA210 Small-scale Partnerships have a smaller scope and budget than KA220, and evaluators calibrate their expectations accordingly. You are not expected to organise three large multiplier events or produce a comprehensive policy brief. But a weak dissemination plan still costs you points.

For KA210, a credible dissemination plan typically includes:

• At least one dissemination event per partner country — this can be a smaller workshop or information session rather than a formal multiplier event
• Open-access publication of all outputs on the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform
• At least one sector-specific channel beyond the project website — EPALE, a professional network newsletter, or a sector association
• Clear partner responsibility for at least one dissemination activity each
• Realistic reach estimates proportionate to the project scale — claiming to reach 10,000 people with a €30,000 project is not credible

9. Most Common Dissemination Mistakes

Website + social media as the entire plan. This is the most common and most penalised dissemination plan. A project website and a Facebook page are baseline expectations, not a strategy. They must be supplemented by at least two substantive channels that actively push results to relevant audiences.

No named outputs. Saying “we will disseminate project results” tells evaluators nothing. Name each output — the toolkit, the training curriculum, the needs report — and describe how each one will be shared, with whom and through what channel.

All dissemination in the last month. A dissemination plan where every activity is scheduled for Month 24 signals that dissemination is an afterthought. Communication starts in Month 1. Interim results are shared from Month 6 onwards. Multiplier events happen in Months 20–22.

No reach estimates. Evaluators want to know how many people you expect to reach through each activity. Even rough estimates — “approximately 40 participants,” “an estimated 500 LinkedIn impressions per month” — are better than no estimate at all, because they show you have thought about scale.

Coordinator does everything. If all dissemination activities are led by the coordinator, the plan does not demonstrate genuine partner involvement in results-sharing. Distribute at least one lead dissemination responsibility to each partner.

No link to sustainability. Dissemination and sustainability are closely connected in the Impact criterion. Your plan should explain not just how you will share results during the project, but how those results will remain accessible and usable after it ends.

10. Dissemination Plan Checklist

• ✅ Each specific output named — not just “project results”
• ✅ At least three audience types defined — primary, secondary, policy (where relevant)
• ✅ Reach estimates included for each major dissemination activity
• ✅ At least two substantive channels beyond the project website
• ✅ One multiplier event per partner country (KA220) or one dissemination event per partner (KA210)
• ✅ Multiplier events scheduled for Months 20–22, not Month 24
• ✅ Communication activities start in Month 1–2, not Month 18
• ✅ Each partner leads at least one dissemination activity
• ✅ All intellectual outputs published on Erasmus+ Project Results Platform
• ✅ Open access and long-term hosting confirmed for all outputs
• ✅ Policy brief or equivalent policy-level dissemination included (KA220)
• ✅ Dissemination plan consistent with impact and sustainability sections