Communication, dissemination and exploitation are still too often treated as add-ons in EU-funded projects, activated only in later stages to fulfil formal requirements. However, experience increasingly shows that these dimensions are fundamental levers to transform project results into real impact, ensuring visibility, stakeholder engagement and long-term value creation.
Published today, 28 April, the second episode of βThe Grant Collaboration – The ENCO Seriesβ, developed in collaboration with The Grant – EU Funding Podcast, directly addresses this challenge.
In this episode, ENCOβs experts Rosanna Buonfiglio and Marco de la Feld engage in a discussion with Neils Tudor, exploring why impact-oriented activities must be embedded from the very beginning of a project lifecycle.
The discussion highlights key elements such as audience mapping, message design, stakeholder engagement and the importance of building synergies with other initiatives. Particular attention is also given to exploitation strategies, approached through a go-to-market perspective grounded in a solid understanding of the context in which project results can generate value.
Within this framework, SYMBA is presented as a concrete and success example. The project demonstrates how a structured and strategic approach to communication, dissemination and exploitation can lead to strong outreach, active involvement of stakeholders and measurable impact beyond the project duration. The experience of SYMBA illustrates how these activities, when integrated early and implemented consistently, can significantly enhance the effectiveness and legacy of EU-funded initiatives.