Define “sustainability” in the context of program evaluation.

In the context of program evaluation, sustainability refers to a program's capacity to maintain its impacts, benefits, and resources over the long term after initial funding or support has waned. This concept emphasizes the importance of continuing the positive effects of a program, ensuring that it does not only achieve short-term goals but also creates lasting changes in the community or target population.

Sustainability involves not just financial aspects but also the processes, relationships, and infrastructure that allow a program to thrive beyond its initial implementation phase. It might include elements such as community ownership, ongoing stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning that facilitate the program's adaptive evolution in response to changing circumstances.

The other options address aspects that, while relevant to program development and evaluation, do not encapsulate the broader notion of sustainability. For instance, initial funding focuses solely on the launch phase rather than ongoing operation, community involvement highlights participation but does not address the program's long-standing viability, and performance metrics pertain to measurement rather than the program's enduring impact. Thus, the definition that speaks to sustaining effects and resources over time accurately captures the essence of sustainability within program evaluation.