Six Strategies for Sustainability

Leadership – Achieving lasting systemic change requires leaders with vision, skills, and knowledge of how to promote change within systems.  Effective, visionary leaders articulate problems and describe solutions to engage a broad base of stakeholders while guiding the decision-making necessary for successful program implementation. Those assuming leadership roles must be able to select and prioritize the changes that will produce positive lasting outcomes and plan for those changes throughout the program’s duration.

Financing – Far too often, sustainability is equated with obtaining additional program funding. Although money may be required to sustain your program’s positive outcomes, it is often possible to sustain outcomes with less funding than the original grant provided – and sometimes possible to sustain outcomes with no additional funding. Financial planning will help you identify the resources you need to sustain program outcomes. Community colleges are using an increasing array of revenue-generating strategies to support previously grant-funded programs.

Evaluation – It is important to present your evaluation data and findings to the groups your project serves and those in positions to support your work. Policymakers and stakeholders need to know what problem your program addresses and what evidence you have that the program is working. Presenting key funding from your evaluation can gain your support including funding. Understanding the concerns of stakeholders care about can help you decide what to present. For example, show a dean that your program has increased retention translates directly into dollars earned and more qualified graduates – both of which are important concerns for college administrators.

Partnerships and Collaboration – Partnerships or collaborations among agencies or programs are most effective when connections are established early in a project and cultivated throughout its life cycle. Strong partnerships involve others who are interested in the goals of your project, are affected by the problems you are addressing, and can provide essential support and resources. Leadership of a partnership involves clarifying roles, running meetings, and defining a shared vision of how to work together towards the partnership’s goals.

Implementation – Excellence of program implementation that includes capacity building and policy change efforts can create sustainable programs and services without requiring continued funding. This level of implementation requires the participation of college and community leadership, and an understanding of how to support lasting change in how the college staff does their work. Training staff in program content and processes is just the first step towards creating lasting change in practice.

Communication/Marketing – Using communications and outreach skills to inform others about you program’s goals and successes is a key way to create and maintain a base of support that can contribute to sustaining your program and its functions. Linking you communications plan to your overall strategic plan can help you reach your sustainability goals. Successful outreach and communications initiatives engage program participants and key college staff, stakeholders and decision-makers. Developing an adaptable presentation about the problems your program addresses and how your program is reducing or eliminating those problems can help publicize your program and gain support and partnerships. Using social marketing to reach your target audience may also help to sustain your program my making your approach or intervention part of the college’s norms and traditions.