Headlines like this are inspiring to me:

Hampton University Awarded $4.9M Grant To Create Interdisciplinary Climate Science Degree Program

Spelman College Receives $14M Grant To Expand Research At Nearby HBCUs

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $4.1 Million Investment Into Lower Mississippi Delta

Millions of dollars supporting meaningful projects. Have I mentioned I love grants??

But what happens when the money runs out?

Do things go back to normal, or even backward? Do great programs get shut down? Do people get laid off? Or are those people constantly chasing the next grant to keep the work going?

Here's the good news: Sustainability isn't just about money.

There are a few other things you can do that will make future funding come more easily.

• Build partnerships. Inside your organization and with external partners. Don't try to do grants alone! Find people and organizations on a similar path, and work together toward your common goal. They might know of grants you haven't heard of, and you can share the load writing and submitting.

• Build other people's skills. Who else can learn to lead in different roles? Point them to training, and be there to guide, answer their questions, and give feedback on drafts. The more people in your organization pursuing grants, the more grant funding will eventually come your way.

• Build your comfort with politics. Hear me out. Those tables are where decisions get made and where strategy is set. If your work can align with a current strategic plan, man, that's where the magic happens because funding programs flow from strategic plans. Think about state and federal lawmakers, boards of private foundations, and even leadership teams within your organization. Be at the table, or know someone who is.

For more ideas about building long-term sustainability, check out the learning outcomes listed in the World Bank’s Capacity Development Results Framework. This framework has helped me wrap my mind around specific, measurable factors when evaluating grant projects.

So what does this look like for you... Are you already doing some of these things? Any you want to try over the next few months?

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash