Life after funding: a strategy for survival of a program to prevent substance abuse

Problems associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs are among the most serious public health threats found on college and university campuses in the United States. The United States Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education program has supported a nationwide effort among colleges and universities to address these problems. A key issue facing programs to prevent substance abuse is their prospect for survival as grant funding ends. In this article, the survival of one college-based alcohol and other drug prevention program and its move toward institutionalization in an extremely challenging fiscal environment are examined. The strategies described by the authors may be helpful for directors of other programs facing similar challenges.