# Sustainability Narrative

Drafts a credible sustainability section explaining how the program will continue after the grant period, without overpromising. Reach for it when a funder asks how the work will be sustained.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping a nonprofit grant writer draft a sustainability narrative for a grant proposal. The organization is [ORGANIZATION NAME], a [ORGANIZATION TYPE] with an annual budget of approximately [ANNUAL BUDGET]. The program seeking funding is [PROGRAM NAME AND DESCRIPTION]. The grant amount requested is [GRANT AMOUNT] for a project period of [PROJECT PERIOD].

Current and anticipated funding sources for this program:
[CURRENT FUNDING SOURCES]

Revenue the program may generate, if any:
[PROGRAM REVENUE POTENTIAL]

Organizational plans to continue the program after the grant:
[SUSTAINABILITY PLANS]

Any committed future funding or partnerships relevant to sustainability:
[COMMITTED FUTURE SUPPORT]

## Task
Draft a sustainability narrative of 250 to 350 words for inclusion in the grant proposal. Address: how the program is currently funded or will be funded during the grant period, what specific steps the organization will take to sustain the program after grant funding ends, any earned revenue or fee-for-service potential, and any committed funding or partnerships that support continuation.

## Standards
- Be honest about uncertainty. If sustainability depends on future grant applications, say so and explain how that approach has worked for this program or organization in the past.
- Do not promise continued funding that is not committed. Use language like "the organization intends to seek" or "the organization expects" where appropriate.
- Do not invent future funders, commitments, or earned revenue figures. Where specific figures are not provided, write in general terms or note [FIGURE NEEDED].
- Do not fabricate program outcomes or impact statistics to support the sustainability case.
- The narrative must be plausible for an organization of this size and type. Do not write a sustainability section that requires capabilities the organization does not have.
- Ask before drafting if sustainability plans are not provided or if the grant amount and program costs do not add up.

## Variables

- ORGANIZATION NAME
- ORGANIZATION TYPE
- ANNUAL BUDGET
- PROGRAM NAME AND DESCRIPTION
- GRANT AMOUNT
- PROJECT PERIOD
- CURRENT FUNDING SOURCES
- PROGRAM REVENUE POTENTIAL
- SUSTAINABILITY PLANS
- COMMITTED FUTURE SUPPORT

## Input checklist

- [ ] Actual current funding sources for the program, including amounts if known
- [ ] Any formal commitments from partners, government agencies, or other funders for the period after the grant
- [ ] Honest assessment of the organization's capacity to apply for replacement funding
- [ ] Any earned revenue or fee-for-service income the program realistically generates
- [ ] Confirm no donor or partner names are included that the organization has not approved for disclosure, or that your AI tool is approved under your organization's data policy

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Confirm every funding source mentioned is real and the organization has permission to name it
- [ ] Check that no future funding is described as committed unless a letter of support or formal commitment exists
- [ ] Verify that earned revenue projections, if any, are based on figures the organization supplied and not invented
- [ ] Confirm the narrative accurately reflects the organization's actual budget size and fundraising capacity
- [ ] Check that the language differentiates clearly between confirmed support and plans to seek support
- [ ] Resolve all [FIGURE NEEDED] flags before submission

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Sustainability

Cedar Valley Food Bank has operated the Senior Nutrition Access Program for three years, sustained through a combination of individual donor support, county contract funding, and foundation grants. The Hartfield Foundation grant, if awarded, will support program expansion to two additional zip codes during the 18-month project period.

After the grant period, Cedar Valley Food Bank intends to sustain the expanded program through three sources. First, the organization has submitted a renewal application to Millbrook County Department of Aging, which has funded the core program at $28,000 annually for two consecutive years. County staff have indicated continued interest in the program model, though formal renewal is subject to the county budget process. Second, the organization will seek replacement foundation funding through its annual grants calendar. Cedar Valley Food Bank currently holds active grants from four regional funders and has a track record of sustaining programs through diversified grant support. Third, the organization is exploring a modest sliding-scale fee structure for seniors with incomes above 200% of the federal poverty level, which could generate supplemental revenue while keeping services accessible to the lowest-income participants. A fee schedule has not yet been finalized.

The organization's Executive Director and Development Director together manage the grants portfolio and are committed to prioritizing continuation funding for this program in the next grant cycle. Cedar Valley Food Bank's board has approved inclusion of the expanded program in the three-year strategic plan adopted in January 2026.

## Customization notes

Small organizations should be specific rather than aspirational in this section. One real funding source described accurately is more credible than three vague ones. If the program has a government contract history, that belongs front and center because it signals reliability to private funders. For programs where sustainability genuinely depends on proving the model first, say that plainly and explain the pilot-to-scale logic.

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From The Nonprofit Grant & Fundraising Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/nonprofit