Despite considerable federal support for educational innovations, few innovations persist beyond the period of federal funding. The non-persistence and premature termination of so many innovations make it desirable to determine managerial strategies that may work to ensure that innovations believed to make a difference in solving educational problems do persist. A study was conducted to determine the managerial roles (i.e., figurehead, leader, liaison, monitor, disseminator, spokesperson, entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, or negotiator) and levels of concern with change that characterize directors of innovation projects. Seven college projects were studied, using case analyses and questionnaire surveys of the projects' directors and organizational sponsors. Based on study findings about reported managerial roles and levels of concern, and their relationship with the stage of implementation and the nature of the innovation, several general recommendations for managing change were developed. These included: (1) project directors must be selected for their interpersonal skills; (2) organizational sponsors must be selected for their willingness to make difficult decisions and ability to make strategic plans; and (3) managers with skill in initiation and innovation development should govern an innovation at the implementation stage, while those with skill in monitoring and maintaining a program should govern the project at the institutionalization stage. (LL)