Table 4 Recommendations for designing a sustainability evaluation

• Don't measure sustainability of interventions that were not useful or didn't achieve a credible level of success.

• Know what particular components of the intervention were actually implemented and/or adapted, and measure sustainability from both a process and outcome point of view.

• Understand the assignable causes of sustainability failure and success.

WHEN TO MEASURE IT:

• Allow enough time for performance to decline to its nadir.

• The longer the follow-up period, the better.

HOW TO MEASURE IT:

• Build in a follow-up evaluation into the original analytic plan to avoid later challenges, if possible.

• Use more than one method to triangulate qualitative information with quantitative data information.

• Talk directly to local stakeholders to understand the how and why behind

• performance measurements.

• Beware of drawing inappropriate conclusions (e.g., outcome attribution failure).

HOW TO GET FUNDED:

• Build the follow-up period into the original proposal if possible.

• Look for funding opportunities that explicitly include a sustainability component – either in the primary grant or through an allowable extension.

• For post hoc-designed analyses, look for small, rapid-response grants.

• Begin to routinize follow-up measurement as the responsibility of local stakeholders.