Properly conceived and implemented new initiatives are essential to improving schools and communities. Such new initiatives usually are pursued as projects, pilots, or demonstrations, with temporary funding and staffing. When the funding ends, more often than not much of what has been developed disappears. Sometimes this is appropriate (e.g., when what was developed turns out not to be effective or important). At other times, the loss represents a set back for all stakeholders. Optimally, plans should be made at the onset with respect to sustaining valuable functions developed during the special funding period, and sustainability should be a focus from day one of implementation. With most such work, however, the pressure of just becoming operational often means that sustainability is not a major focus until well into the second year of a three year funding period. Moreover, most staff have not be prepared to pursue their work in ways that maximize sustainability and scale-up. This brief is designed to provide a quick overview of basic ideas, phases, stages, and steps related to the planning, implementation, maintenance, and scale-up of valuable new initiatives. There is a particular emphasis on sustainability. (Cited References, Additional References, and Other Resources are included. Three appendixes include: (1) Readiness for Systemic Change; (2) Social Marketing, Data, and Systemic Change; and (3) Formative and Summative Evaluation of Efforts to Sustain Functions. Contains 2 figures.).