Why do funders care about sustainability?

Short Answer #

Because funders want investments to continue creating value after a grant period ends.

Expanded Answer #

Most funding organizations hope to create long-term impact. This often means looking beyond immediate activities. Questions funders may ask include:

• What happens after the project ends?
• Will resources continue being used?
• Has community capacity increased?
• Are systems in place for future growth?

Sustainability may involve:

• Training
• Infrastructure
• Governance
• Knowledge transfer
• Community ownership

Language revitalization becomes stronger when projects contribute to lasting capacity.