A program may be producing meaningful benefits, but its current organizational home, staffing, or funding may not be able to support it indefinitely. In other situations, another organization may be better positioned to provide the service over the long term.
Building support for a specific program can help sustain valuable services, practices, relationships, infrastructure, or outcomes without requiring the organization that created the program to operate it forever.
Sustainability does not necessarily mean making a program permanent. Programs should continue for as long as they remain useful, effective, equitable, and responsive to community priorities. In some situations, the appropriate next step may be expansion or institutionalization; in others, it may be adaptation, transfer, integration into another organization, or planned conclusion.
What do we mean by attracting support for specific programs?
Building support for a specific program means securing the partnerships, resources, organizational commitments, or infrastructure needed to sustain a particular service or activity rather than seeking general support for the entire organization.
Support can take several forms:
- Another organization assumes responsibility for the program. A program may be transferred to or integrated into an organization whose mission, staffing, relationships, and infrastructure are appropriate for maintaining it.
- Another organization provides financial resources. A funder, public agency, business, foundation, or partner may provide grants, contracts, budget allocations, sponsorship, or other appropriate financial support.
- A partner contributes staffing or expertise. An organization may provide qualified staff, technical assistance, training, evaluation support, or other professional capacity.
- A partner provides facilities or infrastructure. This might include meeting or office space, equipment, technology, administrative services, transportation, or other resources.
- The program becomes part of an existing organization's routine operations. A school, health system, community organization, public agency, or other institution may incorporate an effective program or practice into its regular services and budget.
- Several organizations share responsibility. A partnership or coalition may distribute funding, staffing, outreach, service delivery, evaluation, or other responsibilities among several organizations.
The appropriate arrangement depends on what the program needs and which organizations are genuinely positioned to provide those resources or responsibilities.
Why build support for specific programs rather than only for the entire initiative?
To sustain effective benefits
If evaluation and community experience show that a program is producing meaningful benefits and a continuing need exists, it may be appropriate to sustain it.
Sustainability does not require preserving the exact program structure forever. What matters is maintaining the effective practices, services, relationships, or benefits that remain useful.
To work with organizations that share a specific goal
Another organization may not share your entire mission but may strongly support one program or objective.
For example, a health organization, school system, community organization, or faith and spiritual community may have different overall missions but share an interest in improving access to preventive health services, strengthening families, supporting young people, or another specific community goal.
Partners should not be expected to endorse activities that conflict with their legal responsibilities, mission, professional standards, or organizational policies.
Identify the areas of genuine agreement and be transparent about significant differences.
To continue a time-limited program when the need remains
Programs created through a temporary grant or pilot project may continue to provide value after the original funding ends.
Before seeking continued support, assess:
- Whether the need still exists
- What evidence suggests the program is useful
- What participants and community partners think should continue
- Whether the program should be adapted
- What the full cost of continuation would be
- Whether another organization is better positioned to operate it
To reduce dependence on one source of support
Heavy dependence on one grant, donor, contract, organization, or individual can create risk.
A broader support base may include several funding sources, institutional partners, community organizations, shared staffing, public funding, recurring organizational budget allocations, and other resources.
Diversification can reduce concentration risk, but it does not guarantee stability. Each source may have different restrictions, costs, administrative requirements, and risks.
To strengthen relationships and organizational capacity
Supporting one effective program can sometimes lead to broader collaboration among organizations.
These relationships may later support referrals, shared training, policy change, funding, evaluation, technical assistance, or other work.
Do not treat support for one program as an opportunity to pressure a partner into endorsing the rest of your organization's agenda. Allow broader collaboration to develop from genuine alignment and experience working together.
When should you try to build support for specific programs?
Consider sustainability and partnership needs throughout the life of a program rather than waiting until the original funding or staffing is about to end.
Early planning can help determine:
- Which organizations should be involved from the beginning
- What outcomes should be evaluated
- What staffing and infrastructure are necessary
- What the program actually costs
- Whether an existing organization might eventually provide an appropriate long-term home
- What legal, funding, data, contractual, or other requirements might affect a future transfer
Other useful times to assess support include:
- When a pilot or grant-funded program is approaching the end of its current funding
- When the organization that developed the program no longer plans to operate it
- When evaluation suggests that the program should be expanded or incorporated into routine practice
- When leadership or staffing changes create continuity risks
- When another organization has stronger infrastructure or closer relationships with the people the program serves
- When community priorities or conditions change
Example: Planning a transition for a young-parent support program
Imagine that a community service organization operates a program providing education, navigation, peer connection, and practical support for young parents.
The program's coordinator will soon leave, and the organization is restructuring. A grant will support the program for another year, but the current organization does not expect to operate it after that period.
Rather than waiting until the final months of the grant, program leaders begin a transition process.
They examine:
- Whether participants still value and need the program
- What outcomes and services should be preserved
- Whether the model needs to be adapted
- What staffing and supervision are required
- What funding will remain and what will happen when it ends
- Which community organizations already serve young parents
- Which organization has appropriate facilities, staffing, community relationships, financial systems, and program expertise
The goal is not simply to find any organization willing to accept the program. It is to identify an arrangement capable of sustaining its valuable elements responsibly.
Whom should you try to attract support from?
Potential partners depend on the program and community.
Consider organizations and people that:
- Share a relevant goal
- Have a responsibility connected to the issue
- Serve or have trusted relationships with participating communities
- Have appropriate staff or expertise
- Control resources, facilities, services, policies, or infrastructure the program needs
- Could appropriately incorporate the program into existing operations
- Have lived experience or community knowledge important to the work
Civic and community organizations
Neighborhood associations, community coalitions, civic organizations, cultural organizations, advocacy groups, and other community-based organizations may provide partnerships, facilities, volunteers, funding, outreach, knowledge, or other support.
Public agencies and elected or appointed officials
Local, state, tribal, territorial, and federal agencies may have responsibilities, programs, funding, facilities, data, or expertise related to the work.
Elected and appointed officials may also have roles in budgets, legislation, oversight, or public policy.
Organizations should understand the advocacy and lobbying rules that apply to their legal and tax status and to the particular funding they receive.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations may engage in some lobbying within applicable limits, but they may not participate or intervene in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to candidates for public office.
Health and human service organizations
Depending on the program, potential partners may include:
- Public-health agencies
- Health systems and clinics
- Behavioral health organizations
- Family-service organizations
- Domestic violence and survivor-support organizations
- Housing organizations
- Substance use prevention, harm-reduction, and treatment organizations
- Disability organizations
- Other community-based service providers
Schools and educational institutions
Schools, colleges, universities, early-childhood organizations, and other educational institutions may contribute facilities, staff, evaluation expertise, referrals, outreach, training, or long-term institutional support.
Community leaders and people with lived experience
People with relevant lived experience, community relationships, or trusted roles can help determine whether a program is useful, how it should be adapted, and which organizations may be appropriate partners.
Do not involve people simply because they are considered influential. Consider whose knowledge, responsibilities, relationships, and decision-making authority are actually relevant.
Funders and grantmakers
Foundations, public agencies, businesses, individual donors, community foundations, and other funders may provide important financial resources.
Financial support is one part of sustainability, but it is not automatically the most important form of support.
Sustainable programs may also depend on:
- Organizational capacity
- Appropriate staffing
- Evaluation
- Partnerships
- Community ownership
- Leadership
- Adaptability
- Institutional infrastructure
Understanding potential partners' perspectives
Before asking for support, learn why an organization may or may not want to participate.
Avoid labeling organizations as resistant, indifferent, or uninformed. Their concerns may be reasonable.
An organization may:
- Disagree with the proposed strategy
- Lack staff or funding
- Have different priorities
- Face legal or contractual restrictions
- Be concerned about evidence or program quality
- Have experienced problems in a previous partnership
- Need additional information
- Support the goal but believe another organization should be responsible
Listening to those concerns can help determine whether a partnership should be developed, redesigned, or not pursued.
Example: Harm-reduction partnership
A community HIV and hepatitis prevention initiative may operate or partner with a syringe services program for people who inject drugs.
Another substance use organization may have questions about how the service fits with its treatment model.
Rather than labeling the organization as resistant and trying to "win it over," discuss:
- The evidence supporting the program
- The services each organization provides
- Shared goals related to health and safety
- Referral opportunities
- Areas of disagreement
- Whether meaningful collaboration is possible
How do you build support for specific programs?
1. Decide what should be sustained
Do not begin with the assumption that the entire existing program must continue.
Review:
- Continuing community need
- Evaluation findings
- Participant experience
- Equity
- Costs
- Staffing requirements
- Program strengths and limitations
Identify which elements should continue, be adapted, be transferred, or conclude.
2. Decide what kind of support is needed
Be specific.
The program may need:
- Long-term organizational ownership
- Funding
- Staff
- Facilities
- Technology
- Transportation
- Evaluation
- Administrative infrastructure
- Outreach or referrals
- Advocacy or policy support
3. Identify organizations with genuine alignment and capacity
Potential partners should be selected based on more than their likelihood of saying yes.
Assess:
- Mission fit
- Community relationships
- Program expertise
- Governance and leadership support
- Staffing capacity
- Financial stability
- Facilities and technology
- Accessibility
- Quality and safety systems
- Evaluation capacity
- Willingness to assume responsibility
A financially stressed organization should not be selected merely because grant funding associated with the program would provide it with additional operating revenue.
4. Involve participants and affected communities
Program participants and community members may have important views about a proposed transition.
Ask:
- What parts of the program are most valuable?
- What should change?
- Would the proposed new organization be accessible and trusted?
- Would location, staffing, hours, transportation, language, privacy, or other factors change?
- What should be protected during the transition?
A transfer that is convenient for organizations but creates new barriers for participants is not a successful sustainability strategy.
5. Understand the full cost of continuation
Do not describe a program as fully funded simply because one grant currently pays its direct expenses.
Consider:
- Salaries and benefits
- Supervision
- Facilities
- Technology
- Insurance
- Administration
- Financial management
- Accessibility and language access
- Evaluation
- Participant supports
- Training
- Communications
- Indirect costs
Also identify when current funding ends and what responsibilities the receiving organization will have after that point.
6. Prepare a clear proposal
A request may take the form of a conversation, concept paper, letter, presentation, memorandum, or detailed proposal depending on the complexity of the arrangement.
Explain:
- The program and its purpose
- The continuing community need
- Available evidence and evaluation findings
- Participant and community perspectives
- Why the potential partner may be an appropriate organizational home or supporter
- Exactly what support is being requested
- Staffing and resource requirements
- Current funding and future funding risks
- Proposed timeline
- Roles and decision-making responsibilities
- What assistance the current organization will provide during transition
The proposal should help the potential partner make an informed decision rather than simply make the program appear attractive.
7. Conduct appropriate due diligence
Before transferring responsibility for a substantial program, both organizations should examine the practical and legal implications.
Depending on the program, this may include:
- Funding agreements
- Funder approval
- Contracts
- Employment issues
- Participant consent or notice
- Privacy and data transfer
- Record retention
- Insurance and liability
- Licensure or accreditation
- Equipment and other assets
- Intellectual property
- Accessibility requirements
Obtain appropriate legal, financial, human-resources, or other professional guidance when the transition requires it.
8. Formalize significant commitments
Substantial partnerships or program transfers should generally be documented.
Depending on the relationship, the organizations may use:
- A memorandum of understanding
- A contract
- A grant or subaward agreement
- A data-sharing agreement
- An asset-transfer agreement
- Another appropriate written agreement
Clarify responsibilities, costs, decision-making, reporting, quality expectations, use of funds, and procedures for modifying or ending the arrangement.
9. Develop a transition plan
Program transfer involves more than moving files from one office to another.
A transition plan may address:
- Staff responsibilities
- Training
- Supervision
- Participant communication
- Referral relationships
- Data and records
- Technology
- Supplies and equipment
- Financial accounts and grant requirements
- Facilities
- Evaluation
- Community partnerships
- Communication with funders
Preserve enough institutional knowledge that the receiving organization understands not only what the program does but why particular practices were developed.
10. Communicate the transition clearly
Participants, staff, partners, funders, referral organizations, and other people affected by the transition may need advance notice.
Explain:
- What is changing
- When the change will occur
- What will remain the same
- Whether participants need to take any action
- Where services will be available
- Who can answer questions
- How privacy and records will be handled
Provide communication in accessible languages and formats.
11. Provide transition support
The organization transferring a program may need to provide training, documentation, introductions to partners, technical assistance, or other support.
Establish how long that assistance will continue and who is responsible.
Avoid making the departing program leader the only source of information. Document important knowledge so the program does not remain dependent on one individual.
12. Monitor the transition and longer-term outcomes
Follow-up should examine whether the program remains accessible, useful, equitable, and adequately resourced in its new setting.
Ask:
- Is the program being delivered as intended?
- What adaptations have been made?
- Are participants still able to access it?
- Are outcomes changing?
- Are staff adequately supported?
- Are costs consistent with expectations?
- Are community partners satisfied with the arrangement?
- Are new inequities or barriers appearing?
The goal is not to preserve the original program exactly if experience shows that responsible adaptation would improve it.
General practices for building and maintaining support
Build reciprocal relationships without treating assistance as a debt
Help partners when it advances shared goals and community benefit.
Do not approach relationships as an exchange in which a previous favor creates an obligation to support your program later.
Strong partnerships are based on trust, reciprocity, clarity, and mutual respect rather than informal debts.
Recognize supporters appropriately
Thank funders and partners in ways that are accurate, appropriate, and consistent with their preferences and with any acknowledgment requirements.
Some partners may welcome public recognition; others may prefer limited or no publicity.
Continue learning about participants and community conditions
Gather and interpret information about:
- Participants
- People who are not being reached
- Community priorities
- Service gaps
- Emerging needs
- Partner capacity
- Changes in policy, funding, or the local environment
Protect privacy and collect information only for legitimate program, planning, or evaluation purposes.
Share meaningful feedback with partners
Partners should know how their contributions are being used and what is being learned.
Share:
- Implementation progress
- Outcomes
- Participant and community feedback
- Challenges
- Financial or resource issues
- Needed adaptations
Invite partners to help interpret findings and improve the work.
Share evidence rather than trying to impress supporters
Potential and current supporters need credible information about whether the program is useful.
Provide an accurate picture of:
- Community need
- Implementation
- Reach
- Outcomes
- Equity
- Participant experience
- Costs
- Challenges
- Limitations of the evidence
Do not report only favorable findings or tailor evidence simply to match a funder's interests.
Engage in advocacy appropriately
Organizations may educate policymakers, participate in public-policy discussions, provide research and community information, and engage in permitted advocacy.
Organizations should understand the legal rules that apply to their tax status and funding.
In particular, a section 501(c)(3) organization may conduct some lobbying within applicable limits but may not participate or intervene in a political campaign in support of or opposition to a candidate for public office.
Do not make candidate campaigning part of an organizational strategy for building program support.
In Summary
Building support for a specific program can help sustain effective services, practices, relationships, and community benefits when the organization that created the program cannot or should not operate it indefinitely.
Support may involve funding, staffing, facilities, technical assistance, partnerships, integration into another organization's operations, or a complete transfer of responsibility.
Begin sustainability planning early. Determine what is actually worth sustaining, assess community need and evaluation evidence, understand the full cost of the program, involve participants and affected communities, and identify organizations with genuine mission alignment and adequate capacity.
A program should not be transferred simply to whichever organization is easiest to persuade. Examine governance, staffing, financial stability, accessibility, community relationships, program expertise, infrastructure, and long-term funding before deciding where the work belongs.
Significant arrangements should include clear responsibilities, appropriate written agreements, transition planning, communication with participants and partners, knowledge transfer, and follow-up evaluation.
Finally, build support through transparent and reciprocal relationships rather than favors, pressure, or persuasion. Share evidence honestly, recognize supporters appropriately, follow applicable advocacy and tax rules, and continue learning after a transition takes place.
The goal is not necessarily to make every program permanent. It is to ensure that effective and still-needed community benefits have the partnerships, resources, capacity, and organizational home necessary to continue for as long as they remain valuable.