SMEs play a significant role in economic activity through employment, innovation, and growth, undertaking projects as an engine to survive. However, project management standards are considered bureaucratical for those environments of scarce resources where the manager usually act as project manager. Therefore, due to unfamiliarity or resource constraints, managers may perform the processes they are most familiar with or that are easier to perform instead of those with a higher impact on project success. Hence, this study aims to understand the degree of knowledge, importance, and extent of use of each knowledge area to the SMEs managers in Lourinhã municipality in order to provide training guidelines to foster the development of the region’s SMEs. Quantitative research was undertaken with a survey for the empirical research. Results show a nescience regarding Project Management; that areas with a strong link to costs are prioritized; and that SMEs managers learn and understand the importance of project management practices mainly by applying them. Introductory level workshops and the creation of entity to support managers on project management practice were proposed.