A Publicity Checklist for an EU-Funded Project

What visibility means for an EU-funded project

When a project receives European funding, the public should be able to find out what it does. For that reason most funding programmes ask beneficiaries to inform people about the project and to acknowledge the funder visibly. The details vary by programme, period and funding contract, and this article does not try to restate them. It offers something more practical: an EU project visibility checklist, organised by stage, that helps you ask the right questions and keep your records tidy.

The term “visibility” covers more than a logo on a banner. It includes how the project is described to the public, how the funder is named and shown, which channels you use, how often you communicate, and what proof you keep. A well-run communication plan also supports your project goals, because it helps your target group find the project and lets partners and local authorities see what has been achieved.

If you need help with the press side, our press releases for EU-funded projects are published on portfolio sites with proof of publication. The checklist below works independently of any provider.

Stage 0: before the project starts

Many visibility problems are cheap to avoid at the start and awkward to repair later. Before the first public announcement:

1. Read the contract and the manual. List every communication obligation you can find and who is responsible for each.
2. Appoint a person. One named team member should own communication, with a deputy.
3. Collect the visual assets. Download the correct logos and emblems, the acknowledgement wording and any templates from the official source, rather than copying them from another project.
4. Set up a record folder. One place for URLs, screenshots, texts, photos and consent forms, organised by date and activity.
5. Plan the calendar. Pin the main milestones, such as launch, events and completion, and attach a communication action to each.

It is useful to write one short paragraph that describes the project in plain language: what it does, for whom and with what funding. You will reuse it in releases, on your website and in the boilerplate of every text.

Stage 1: launch

The launch is the moment when the public first learns about the project. A typical set of actions:

• A launch announcement. A press release or news item that gives the project title, the objective, the beneficiary, the target group, the duration and the funder, with a contact.
• A project page. A permanent page on your own website that describes the project and carries the required acknowledgement of the funder.
• Required signage or labels. Where the programme calls for them on premises or equipment, such as plaques or posters, install them promptly.
• Social media. A short post that links to the page and the news.

Write in plain, correct language and avoid exaggeration. Do not describe results that have not happened yet, and avoid promises that the project cannot keep. The announcement should say what is planned, using conditional language where outcomes are not certain. Quote only figures from the approved application or contract, and check them before publication.

Stage 2: while the project runs

Visibility does not stop after the launch. During implementation, aim for steady, modest communication rather than a burst at the beginning and silence afterwards.

• Update the project page when major milestones occur.
• Report events. For workshops, training sessions or meetings, collect attendance information as required, take photographs with consent, and publish a short account afterwards.
• Keep branding consistent. Every document, presentation, banner and online post that falls under the obligations should show the funder in the manner prescribed. Check each new item against the manual.
• Name the funder correctly and consistently, including in captions and in the boilerplate at the end of releases.
• Review your calendar every quarter and add actions for what has changed.

Be careful with images of people. Photographs of participants can be personal data, and consent matters, especially for minors. Prepare consent forms before the event, keep them with your records and use only the images you are allowed to use. The same goes for copyright on pictures and graphics you did not create.

Stage 3: completion and results

When the project ends, communication shifts from describing what you will do to showing what has been done.

1. A closing release. Summarise the objectives, activities and results using verified figures, and name the funder again.
2. Update the project page with final results, so it stays a lasting reference.
3. Thank partners and participants, where appropriate, in a way that does not require personal data you are not entitled to publish.
4. Check that everything is still live. Go through your list of publications and confirm that links still work and that texts have not been altered.
5. Complete the archive before the project file is closed.

Be honest about outcomes. If a target was only partly met, say what was achieved. Overstated results can create problems at audit, and they do nothing for your credibility with readers.

A one-page communication plan you can copy

A checklist is easier to follow when it lives in a table with names and dates. The structure below is generic. Fill it in with the actions your contract and manual require, and add your own.

The names in the table are placeholders. What matters is that every action has one owner and one piece of evidence, so nothing depends on memory.

Writing the texts: language, tone and accessibility

Project communication is read by people who are not specialists: residents, local officials, potential participants and journalists. A few habits help.

• Start with what changes for people. Say who benefits and how before you list activities.
• Use the language of your audience. For a Romanian public that means Romanian with correct diacritics, and an English version when partners or international readers need one.
• Explain terms. Words such as “beneficiary” or “eligible expenditure” mean little to the general reader. Use plain alternatives or a short explanation.
• Be accurate with money. Quote the amounts that appear in your contract, specify the currency, and do not blur the funder’s contribution with the total value if they differ.
• Make it accessible. Add alternative text to images, write meaningful link text and avoid conveying information only through colour.

Keep the tone factual. Public communication about publicly funded work is not the place for hype. A clear, restrained text with the right facts is more credible and easier to defend if anyone asks questions later.

What to archive as proof

Funders and auditors can ask for evidence that the communication took place. Make the archive part of the routine, not a rush at the end. For each publication, keep:

• the final web address (URL) and the date it went live;
• a saved copy of the text and the images as published;
• a dated screenshot or PDF of the page;
• the publisher’s confirmation or report, if one is provided;
• the internal approval or the version that was sent.

Which formats of proof are acceptable depends on your funder, so confirm this in advance. We describe a method in more detail in proof of publication: what to keep for the project file. A durable address matters: a link that disappears after a year defeats the purpose of the record, so ask any publisher whether the article will stay at the same URL.

Media articles, your own site, or both?

Beneficiaries often ask whether a press release in the media is better than a page on their own website. The honest answer is that they do different jobs.

Most projects use both. For more on what press releases for EU projects are expected to contain, see our article on press releases for EU-funded projects and their information obligations, which complements this checklist.

A small technical note: if a media publication links to your project page, it is worth knowing what the link attribute is and why. Our explainer on dofollow, nofollow and sponsored links sets out the options, and you may decide, for example, that for a funded project a plain link to the official project page is perfectly adequate.

Common slip-ups to avoid

• Using an outdated logo or wording. Always take assets from the current official source.
• Waiting until the end to publish anything. Visibility is cumulative.
• Losing the proof. A publication without a saved URL and screenshot is hard to demonstrate later.
• Promising results in advance. State what is planned, not what is certain.
• Forgetting consent for photographs. Collect it before the event.
• Assuming a generic checklist is enough. It is a starting point. Your contract and manual are the source of truth.

Your next step

Open your funding contract and the programme manual today, and list every communication obligation with its deadline. Then place each item on your project calendar and create the record folder. That single hour of preparation helps you avoid most of the problems described above.

If you want the announcement placed on news sites and need proof for the file, our service for EU funding press releases publishes texts on the portfolio sites and delivers a report with the live URLs. Articles stay at the same address permanently, and the invoice is issued in Romania.

Frequently asked questions