Funding for Sustainability: How Funders’ Practices Influence the Future of Digital Resources

Wednesday, 29 June 2011 2:44:05 p.m.

Funding for Sustainability: How Funders’ Practices Influence the Future of Digital Resources offers an overview of funders' policies and practices, and provides a framework to assist funders and their grantees in thinking about the key elements of post-grant sustainability planning for digital resources.
Over the past decade, philanthropic organizations and government agencies have invested millions of dollars, pounds, and euros in the creation of digital content in the not-for-profit sector. Their grants have facilitated major digitization efforts and encouraged innovative scholarly work possible only in an online environment. Still, the path from initial grant funding to long-term sustainability of these resources can be challenging.

Ithaka S+R, with generous support from the JISC-led Strategic Content Alliance, interviewed more than 80 individuals, including representatives from more than 25 funding bodies in Europe and North America with a focus on digital resources in the higher education and cultural heritage sectors. Through a year-long research process, Ithaka S+R observed a rich range of sustainability planning activities, but also identified areas for improvement in the funding process that are valuable to both funders and grant seekers. The report also offers funders and project leaders a high-level process for working together at the proposal stage to set plans for post-grant sustainability.

Go to source:
http://www.ithaka.org/ithaka-s-r/research/funding-for-sustainability