diff --git a/litellm/proxy/_types.py b/litellm/proxy/_types.py
index 4dbae6394f6..175da4a8a75 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/_types.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/_types.py
@@ -849,9 +849,12 @@ class LiteLLMRoutes(enum.Enum):
         "/prompt/list",
         "/prompt/info",
         "/vector_store/info",
-        # Project read routes - endpoint scopes results to caller's teams (non-admin)
+        # Project routes - reads scope results to caller's teams; /new and
+        # /update require proxy admin or admin of the project's team in the endpoint
         "/project/list",
         "/project/info",
+        "/project/new",
+        "/project/update",
         # Endpoint enforces proxy-admin vs team-admin model access itself.
         "/health/test_connection",
         # Invitation routes - org/team admins checked in endpoint via _user_has_admin_privileges
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_route_checks.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_route_checks.py
index 5b15d4a7d5e..6b17263972b 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_route_checks.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_route_checks.py
@@ -3638,3 +3638,41 @@ def test_agent_registry_route_gate_open_to_non_admin_roles(user_role, method, ro
         valid_token=valid_token,
         request_data={},
     )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("route", ["/project/new", "/project/update"])
+def test_project_write_routes_reach_endpoint_for_internal_user(route):
+    """A team admin is an internal_user at the route gate. /project/new and
+    /project/update must pass it so the endpoint can apply its own proxy-admin
+    or team-admin check instead of the gate 403ing every non-proxy-admin."""
+
+    valid_token = UserAPIKeyAuth(user_id="test_user", user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER.value)
+    request = MagicMock(spec=Request)
+    request.method = "POST"
+    request.query_params = {}
+
+    RouteChecks.non_proxy_admin_allowed_routes_check(
+        user_obj=LiteLLM_UserTable(user_id="test_user", user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER.value),
+        _user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER.value,
+        route=route,
+        request=request,
+        valid_token=valid_token,
+        request_data={"team_id": "team-1"},
+    )
+
+
+def test_project_delete_route_stays_proxy_admin_only():
+    valid_token = UserAPIKeyAuth(user_id="test_user", user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER.value)
+    request = MagicMock(spec=Request)
+    request.method = "DELETE"
+    request.query_params = {}
+
+    with pytest.raises(Exception, match="Only proxy admin can be used"):
+        RouteChecks.non_proxy_admin_allowed_routes_check(
+            user_obj=LiteLLM_UserTable(user_id="test_user", user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER.value),
+            _user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER.value,
+            route="/project/delete",
+            request=request,
+            valid_token=valid_token,
+            request_data={},
+        )
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.test.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.test.tsx
index 6eb0218c41d..44b186762d7 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.test.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { renderWithProviders } from "../../tests/test-utils";
 import Sidebar, { menuGroups, getBreadcrumb } from "./leftnav";
 
+const teamAdminState = vi.hoisted(() => ({ isTeamAdmin: false }));
+
 vi.mock("../utils/roles", async (importOriginal) => {
   const actual = await importOriginal<typeof import("../utils/roles")>();
   return {
@@ -13,7 +15,7 @@ vi.mock("../utils/roles", async (importOriginal) => {
     rolesWithWriteAccess: ["admin", "internal"],
     rolesAllowedToViewWriteScopedPages: ["admin", "internal", "admin_viewer"],
     isAdminRole: (role: string) => role === "admin" || role === "admin_viewer",
-    isUserTeamAdminForAnyTeam: () => false,
+    isUserTeamAdminForAnyTeam: () => teamAdminState.isTeamAdmin,
   };
 });
 
@@ -586,6 +588,50 @@ describe("Sidebar (leftnav)", () => {
     expect(container.querySelector('a[href*="projects"]')).toBeNull();
   });
 
+  describe("Projects visibility for delegated admins", () => {
+    const internalAuth = {
+      userId: "internal-user-id",
+      accessToken: "test-access-token",
+      userRole: "internal",
+      isViewOnly: false,
+      token: "test-token",
+      userEmail: "internal@example.com",
+      premiumUser: false,
+      disabledPersonalKeyCreation: false,
+      showSSOBanner: false,
+    };
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      mockUseAuthorized.mockReset();
+      mockUseOrganizations.mockReset();
+      teamAdminState.isTeamAdmin = false;
+    });
+
+    it("hides Projects from a plain internal user", () => {
+      mockUseAuthorized.mockReturnValue(internalAuth);
+      const { container } = renderWithProviders(<Sidebar {...defaultProps} enableProjectsUI />);
+      expect(container.querySelector('a[href*="projects"]')).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it("shows Projects to an internal user who administers a team", () => {
+      mockUseAuthorized.mockReturnValue(internalAuth);
+      teamAdminState.isTeamAdmin = true;
+      const { container } = renderWithProviders(<Sidebar {...defaultProps} enableProjectsUI />);
+      expect(container.querySelector('a[href*="projects"]')).toHaveTextContent("Projects");
+    });
+
+    it("shows Projects to an internal user who administers an organization", () => {
+      mockUseAuthorized.mockReturnValue(internalAuth);
+      mockUseOrganizations.mockReturnValue({
+        data: [{ organization_id: "org-1", members: [{ user_id: "internal-user-id", user_role: "org_admin" }] }],
+        isLoading: false,
+        error: null,
+      });
+      const { container } = renderWithProviders(<Sidebar {...defaultProps} enableProjectsUI />);
+      expect(container.querySelector('a[href*="projects"]')).toHaveTextContent("Projects");
+    });
+  });
+
   it("keeps a readable collapsed-rail tooltip for items whose label carries a badge", () => {
     const { container } = renderWithProviders(<Sidebar {...defaultProps} enableProjectsUI collapsed />);
 
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.tsx
index 9d772f45153..7e67d288421 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/leftnav.tsx
@@ -475,7 +475,10 @@ const Sidebar_: React.FC<SidebarProps> = ({
           if (!isAdmin && enabledPagesInternalUsers != null) return enabledPagesInternalUsers.includes(item.page);
           return true;
         }
-        if (item.key === "projects" && !enableProjectsUI) return false;
+        if (item.key === "projects") {
+          if (!enableProjectsUI) return false;
+          return isAdmin || isOrgAdmin || isTeamAdmin;
+        }
         if (
           !isAdmin &&
           item.key === "agents" &&