What is meant by “program sustainability” in the nonprofit sector?

In the nonprofit sector, "program sustainability" refers to the capacity to maintain program services and impact over time. This concept emphasizes the importance of not only continuing to provide services but also ensuring that those services remain effective and impactful for the community they are intended to serve.

Sustainability involves careful planning, resource management, and building relationships with stakeholders, funders, and the community. It encompasses the strategies an organization employs to ensure that their programs do not just operate in the short term but can be maintained and adapted over the long term, even amidst changing circumstances. This may include diversifying funding sources, engaging community support, and evaluating and improving program outcomes to keep the work relevant and effective.

While options like increasing funding or expanding service offerings can contribute to sustainability, they do not encapsulate the broader idea of maintaining ongoing program services and their beneficial impact on the target population, which is central to the concept of program sustainability.