This study investigated how funders and grantees are thinking about sustainability and how best to support promising community-based initiatives so that they do not simply fade away when initial funding is over. Following a literature review, researchers developed questions to guide interviews with approximately 24 funders and grantees. No theme was as prominent in the discussions as the role of foundations. The tone of the discussions was that foundations too often fail to do enough, early enough, to ensure sustainability. There was a wide range of views about what should be sustained, but several people interviewed spoke of the importance of sustaining the thinking behind the initiative. Interviews also dealt with the particular sustainability problems of comprehensive community initiatives. Several interviews revealed developments in foundation approaches that bear on the subject of sustainability, and a number of suggestions to further sustainability were developed. Twelve specific suggestions were identified, and in company with these, it is suggested that a theory of sustainability be derived and used. (Contains 16 references.) (SLD)