Program Sustainability in
Challenging Economic Times
Program administrators and educators returning for the 2009–10 school year did so during one of the harshest fiscal climates in almost 30 years. Budget cuts to K–12 education were announced across the country last summer, forcing difficult decisions impacting everything from class size to bus routes. Public schools in the United States are indeed operating in changing and challenging times.
Though economic recovery may take several years, violence prevention and other safety intervention programs continue to play a vital role in our schools. Support for this work still exists. Each year, the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) awards millions of dollars in financial assistance to education agencies and other organizations to implement programs and activities that promote student safety, health, and well-being. This funding is provided through grant programs with the expectation that grantees will develop and implement strategies to sustain their efforts when the federal funding period ends.
Some grant-funded projects have relied solely on these and other federal dollars to implement their programs. Too frequently, when the federal funding ends, the activities funded under the grant or project end also. In an economic recession and challenging state and local fiscal climates, sustaining project activities becomes even more difficult than usual.
The tried and true approach of “seeking other sources of funding”—from foundations and corporations—presents its own set of challenges. Because they also face shrinking investment earnings and revenue, competition for their funding has become tough. One bright spot, however, is that despite an almost 30 percent decline in foundation endowments, foundations are continuing to provide financial assistance for education and other community service initiatives according to the Council on Foundations’ 2009 report Foundations Respond to the Needs of Families Even as Their Assets Have Declined.
In these challenging times comes the need for new approaches to sustaining effective activities once federal funding has ended. This may mean eliminating activities that are no longer relevant, communicating in a different way, and seeking resources from sources never before tapped.
This issue of The Challenge will focus on “sustainability,” the ability to develop and execute a strategic plan for securing the support needed to continue the realization of project goals and objectives. We will discuss lessons learned and best practices as suggested by OSDFS grantees who are making great strides in sustainability despite the challenges of the current economic and funding climate. We will also share resources, research, and tips on sustainability.
|
