2008 · Study · English

Predictors and Level of Sustainability of Community Prevention Coalitions

Feinberg, M. E., Bontempo, D. E., & Greenberg, M. T.

Feinberg, M. E., Bontempo, D. E., & Greenberg, M. T. (2008). Predictors and Level of Sustainability of Community Prevention Coalitions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34(6), 495–501. doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2008.01.030

Summary

Longitudinal study of coalition survival among the Communities That Care sites funded by the state of Pennsylvania, one of the largest CTC systems anywhere. Board functioning and funding of 110 sites were tracked from 2003 to 2006 through reports from board members, staff and technical-assistance providers. Ninety per cent of coalitions continued beyond their initial three-year state grant, and 3–8% closed in each subsequent year; roughly two thirds were still operating four years after the original grant had ended, and many had attracted funding equal to or greater than that grant. Overall coalition functioning, whether rated by members or by technical-assistance staff, and explicit planning for sustainability both predicted survival and post-grant funding, and did so partly independently of each other. For European funders the study provides realistic attrition figures and evidence that sustainability can be actively planned rather than left to chance.