The Finance Project http://www.financeproject.org
The Finance Project model outlines eight key elements for achieving a stable base of fiscal and non-fiscal resources to ensure project sustainability. They are vision, results orientation, strategic financing, adaptability, broad-based community support, key champions, strong internal systems, and a sustainability plan. All are important but not always required. Project directors must determine the "critical mass" necessary for their program to succeed and survive.
Leadership for Change:
Leadership for change involves engaging a diverse group of stakeholders who care about the program and will work to implement and support it. Leaders of the initiative are responsible for creating a sustainability plan and choosing among the seven other topic areas for the appropriate sustainability strategies. A "Sustainability Plan" helps leaders clarify where they want to go in future and set benchmarks to determine success.
Strategic Planning:
"Vision" means having clear cut objectives to show how a program will improve the lives of children, families and communities. A viable initiative must articulate clear objectives based on the vision and develop a plan to meet them in order to achieve sustainability.
Partnerships/Collaboration:
To create a "Broad Base of Community Support" leaders should identify key supporters of the initiative, the people or partners who need it, and who would be most affected if it were no longer available. This will clarify the partners who can form a broad base of support for the program. Try to collaborate with other initiatives and involve a diverse set of stakeholders
Capacity Building:
To have appropriate capacity, the initiative should have a well-defined team of staff advisory group members; leaders and others understand and accept their responsibilities. "Strong internal systems" (accounting, management information, personnel) help to maintain quality control over work.
Communications/Marketing:
Marketing and communications are used to create community support. Program leaders should have a plan to establish a desired reputation in the community and be able to communicate the value of the program to consumers and others in the community. Leadership should package data in user friendly formats and communicate them regularly to stakeholders.
Public Policy:
The initiative needs "Key Champions" leaders from business, faith-based, and government institutions, and other parts of community who are committed to an initiative's vision AND will use their power to generate support for that program to ensure sustainability.
Evaluation:
To create a useful evaluation plan, articulate your project's logic model and theory of change; use indicators and performance measures to track work. Use evaluation data to improve service delivery. Initiative should have a "Results Orientation," using their evaluation to measure results and improve its work over time.
Financing:
Having a "Strategic Financing Orientation" means that program leaders have identified resources needed to sustain the program and have developed strategies to bring these resources together. Financing options include public funds, private funds, and institutionalization, as well as the use of funds freed up through improved outcomes.
