Beyond the Project: Ensuring Long-Term Impact and Sustainability in Erasmus+ Projects

One of the biggest challenges in Erasmus+ projects is ensuring that the work you do doesn’t end when the funding period does. For a project to truly be successful, its impact must continue long after the project has concluded. Sustainability and long-term impact are core components that evaluators look for when assessing Erasmus+ proposals, and they often play a critical role in determining whether a project is approved or denied.

In this article, I will cover the strategies you can use to make your Erasmus+ project sustainable and impactful in the long term. Drawing from my experience as both a project manager and an evaluator, I will also incorporate real comments from evaluators that highlight what they value when it comes to sustainability.

Why Long-Term Impact and Sustainability Matter in Erasmus+ Projects

Erasmus+ projects are designed to drive positive change—whether it be in the field of education, training, youth, or sport. However, for this change to be meaningful, it must have a lasting impact that reaches beyond the immediate participants and the project duration. This is why sustainability is an essential criterion for Erasmus+ evaluators.

1. Amplified Reach: Ensuring that the project results are disseminated and used by others means that the project’s impact can grow exponentially.
2. Cost-Efficiency: Projects that have a long-lasting impact provide greater value for the investment, as they continue to benefit target groups after the initial funding has ended.
3. Relevance to the Wider Community: Long-term impact demonstrates that the project addresses relevant and pressing needs that are likely to persist, thus justifying its relevance beyond the project’s lifecycle.

Step 1: Designing for Sustainability from the Start

A successful long-term impact plan begins in the project design phase. When writing your proposal, you need to consider not only what you want to achieve during the project but also how those achievements will be sustained.

1. Set Clear Long-Term Objectives: Start by identifying the aspects of your project that should continue after it ends. These could be tools, practices, partnerships, or knowledge.
   • Example: If your project is creating an online learning platform, your objective might be to maintain and expand the platform for years to come.

   Evaluator Insight: “The project has clearly defined long-term objectives, specifying how its outputs will be used beyond the funding period. This approach demonstrates forward thinking and commitment to sustainability.” (Real Evaluator Comment)

2. Stakeholder Involvement: Identify key stakeholders who can contribute to the project’s sustainability. This could include local authorities, educational institutions, NGOs, or private companies that are willing to support or adopt the project outcomes.
   • Example: Engage local schools early in the project so they can adopt the educational resources you develop.
3. Scalability and Transferability: Projects that can be scaled or transferred to different contexts often have greater sustainability potential. Design outputs that can be adapted to other regions, languages, or target groups.Evaluator Insight: “The project outlines a clear plan for transferring its results to other educational settings, increasing its potential for long-term impact.” (Real Evaluator Comment)

Step 2: Effective Dissemination Strategies

Dissemination is more than sharing your results—it’s about ensuring your project’s outcomes reach the right audience and inspire further action. This is a critical component of long-term impact.

1. Identify Target Audiences: Who can benefit from your results? This might include policymakers, educators, youth workers, community organizations, or the general public. Different audiences require different dissemination approaches.
2. Use Multiple Channels: Make use of diverse dissemination channels to reach your target audiences. This might include social media, newsletters, webinars, conferences, and publications. Ensure that your results are accessible and understandable to different audiences.Evaluator Insight: “The project’s dissemination strategy is well thought out, using multiple channels to reach different stakeholders, ensuring that the project’s impact is not limited to direct participants.” (Real Evaluator Comment)
3. Partner Contributions: Leverage your partners’ networks to extend the reach of your dissemination efforts. Each partner can play a role in sharing the results within their country or community, maximizing the overall impact.
4. Create Engaging Content: The more engaging your content, the more likely it is to be shared and have a lasting effect. Consider creating video tutorials, infographics, or case studies that highlight the benefits of your project outcomes.

Step 3: Engaging Beneficiaries and Stakeholders for the Long Term

Engaging beneficiaries and stakeholders throughout the project is key to ensuring they continue using and promoting the project outcomes even after the project concludes.

1. Involve Beneficiaries Early: Engage beneficiaries, such as youth participants or educators, in the project planning phase. If they feel ownership over the project, they are more likely to use and promote its results.
2. Capacity Building: Train your beneficiaries and stakeholders so they have the skills and knowledge to continue implementing the project results. Workshops, train-the-trainer sessions, and online resources can ensure that knowledge remains accessible.Evaluator Insight: “The capacity-building approach taken by the project ensures that the skills imparted will continue to benefit the participants and their communities beyond the funding period.” (Real Evaluator Comment)
3. Pilot and Gather Feedback: Testing your outputs with real users before the end of the project helps refine them and ensure they meet the needs of your audience. Their feedback will also help demonstrate the impact and practicality of the outputs to evaluators.

Step 4: Creating Sustainable Outputs

Your project outputs need to be designed with sustainability in mind to ensure long-term use and impact.

1. Digital Resources: If you are creating digital resources (e.g., e-learning modules, videos, guides), make sure they are hosted on platforms that will continue to be accessible beyond the project. Open-source platforms and downloadable content can increase accessibility.
2. Policy Integration: If relevant, integrate your project’s results into local or regional policies. For example, a successful curriculum developed during your project could be adopted by educational authorities, ensuring continued use.
3. Documentation and Guides: Create user manuals, guides, or toolkits that explain how to use your outputs. This ensures that others can replicate and implement your results without your direct involvement.Evaluator Insight: “The provision of detailed guides and resources ensures that the project’s results are accessible and can be effectively used and replicated by other organizations.” (Real Evaluator Comment)

Step 5: Establishing Post-Project Continuation Plans

To convince evaluators of your project’s sustainability, you need a clear continuation plan for after the project ends.

1. Identify Potential Funding: Consider additional funding opportunities to keep your project going. This could involve applying for further Erasmus+ calls, seeking sponsorship from private companies, or obtaining support from local government bodies.
2. Create an Ownership Plan: Determine who will take ownership of the project’s outputs. For instance, a partner organization may agree to maintain and promote an online platform, or a community group may take on the role of continuing educational activities.
3. Partner and Beneficiary Engagement: Ensure that at least one or more project partners or beneficiaries are committed to continuing key activities after the funding ends. Clearly articulate these commitments in your final project report.Evaluator Insight: “The project’s sustainability plan includes commitments from partner organizations to continue core activities, demonstrating a realistic and achievable path to long-term impact.” (Real Evaluator Comment)

Conclusion

Ensuring the long-term impact and sustainability of your Erasmus+ project requires careful planning, strategic dissemination, and ongoing stakeholder engagement. By designing your project with sustainability in mind from the start, creating engaging dissemination strategies, and involving stakeholders throughout the process, you can extend your project’s impact well beyond its official end date.

From an evaluator’s perspective, a well-designed sustainability plan shows that your project is not just a short-term intervention but a valuable, long-lasting contribution. I hope these insights help you create projects that have a lasting effect on the communities, individuals, and systems you aim to improve.

Best of luck with your projects, and may your work continue to make a difference long after the Erasmus+ funding period ends!