College and university leaders must remain responsive to their environments by promoting institutional innovation and change. External grant-funders, such as foundations, view themselves as initiators of change. Foundations can provide the necessary tools to jump start innovation within colleges and universities. However, despite the best intentions, not all colleges are able to sustain their programs or initiatives beyond the foundation's initial funding. The central research question for the study was: How do liberal arts colleges sustain foundation-funded programs beyond the initial grant period? Grounded in the literature on organizational change (Clark, 2004; Kezar, 2001; Luddeke, 1999), and program institutionalization and sustainability (Huberman & Miles, 1984; Levine, 1980; Levison, 1994; Steckler & Goodman, 1989), this study examined how foundation-funded programs are sustained at liberal arts colleges. The guiding conceptual framework, based upon Shediac Rizkallah and Bone (1998), proposed that three primary factors contribute to the sustainability of a program past initial funding: 1) program level factors, 2) institutional level factors, and 3) environmental level factors. Utilizing this framework, the current study utilized a multi-case study design. Four selective liberal arts colleges were selected to examine the sustainability of faculty career enhancement programs funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The results of this study revealed that eight factors, surrounded by environmental influences, contribute to the sustainability process: 1) meets an institutional need, 2) breadth of impact, 3) program effectiveness, 4) institutional context, 5) integration into campus, 6) planning to sustain, 7) committed leader or champion, and 8) applied organizational learning. A conceptual model based upon the guiding conceptual framework and the findings from this study are presented along with implications for research and practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]