PM² for Managing EU-Funded Projects

Delivering results through EU-funded projects requires more than technical expertise or good intentions. These projects demand structured coordination, clearly defined roles, and compliance with strict administrative and financial requirements. PM², the project management methodology developed by the European Commission, provides an accessible, practical, and adaptable framework that supports these needs—helping teams manage EU grants with greater clarity, alignment, and efficiency.

Meeting the challenge of EU Grants

EU-funded projects—especially those financed through grants—often involve multi-country partnerships, multidisciplinary collaboration, and complex governance structures. They are driven by EU policy priorities and subject to rigorous reporting, audit, and impact requirements. Without a shared approach to project management, many consortia struggle with coordination inefficiencies, inconsistent stakeholder engagement, and risks to performance or compliance.

PM² addresses these challenges by offering a common project management language and a clearly defined set of roles, processes, artefacts, and guiding principles. It helps projects stay focused on objectives, manage constraints, and support strong internal coordination—particularly essential in cross-organisational and multicultural environments.

A Methodology built on pillars and mindsets

PM² is based on four foundational pillars: a lifecycle-based process model, a clear governance structure, a set of project artefact templates, as well as a set of management activities. Together, these elements create a unified management framework adaptable to the unique characteristics of EU-funded grants.

Equally important are the PM² Mindsets—a set of values and behaviours that promote collaboration, ownership, results orientation, and continuous improvement. These mindsets are particularly valuable in grant-based projects, where alignment across diverse partners and cultures is critical for success.

Methodology tailoring 

PM² is inherently flexible, and its principles can be scaled to suit the size, complexity, and context of any EU-funded initiative. One example of tailoring for grant projects is the division of the Planning Phase into two stages: the pre-award planning stage, where a high-level work plan is developed for the proposal, and the post-award planning stage, where the work plan is further elaborated and refined into a more detailed plan that drives the execution of the various work packages.

This approach ensures that planning remains fit-for-purpose, acknowledging that not all variables are known at the time of proposal submission, and that successful execution requires further iteration once the grant is awarded.

Additionally, the methodology’s phase gates and document approvals—can be directly mapped to quality control milestones and grant obligations, ensuring alignment with the European Commission’s expectations while improving internal coordination across consortium partners.

PM²-Portfolio for EU-Funded Initiatives

As organisations increasingly manage multiple EU-funded projects, portfolio-level coordination becomes essential. The PM²-Portfolio Management Methodology extends the PM² framework to help organisations oversee multiple projects strategically and efficiently.

It provides structures for governance, prioritisation, and tracking—ensuring that resources are well allocated and that project outcomes contribute to broader institutional or programme-level goals. In the EU funding context, PM²-Portfolio supports effective steering across diverse timelines, reporting obligations, and compliance requirements.

By combining PM² for projects and PM²-PfM for portfolio management, organisations can shift from isolated project management to coordinated portfolio oversight, enhancing delivery and long-term impact.

PM² recognised as good practice in the EU-Funded projects context

PM² has been proven in the field and recognised in official EU evaluations as a best practice for programme and project management. Notably, the Evaluation of the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) references PM² as a successful example of methodology application, highlighting its contribution to improved efficiency, transparency, and internal coordination in managing EU programmes (download full report here).

This validation further confirms that PM² is not only fit for purpose but adds tangible value in delivering results across diverse EU funding instruments.

Explore the PM² Resources

PM² offers a ready-to-use methodology designed to work within the administrative and operational frameworks of EU institutions and funding schemes. Whether you are managing your first EU grant or seeking to strengthen your organisation’s delivery capacity, PM² can help you enhance structure, coordination, and accountability across the project lifecycle.

To access practical guides, templates, and tools to support your EU-funded project, explore the new PM² Resources Page. All materials are freely available and designed to help you deliver EU projects with confidence, control, and impact.