In 2025, many minority-serving higher education institutions (MSIs) found themselves navigating canceled federal grants and making rapid, consequential decisions—sometimes within weeks—about whether to scale back, pause, redesign, or absorb activities originally planned as grant-funded. Looking across these experiences, several operational lessons stand out.

Sustainability planning for federal grants is the disciplined process of ensuring a project’s goals, principles, and activities endure after the award period ends. Federal funders increasingly prioritize long-term impact; proposals and performance reports should demonstrate a credible plan for lasting success. We share guidance on sustainability planning to support your federal grant.