introduction: CDC's sustainability project was initiated because many funded community efforts dissolved at the conclusion of federal funding. Also, training needs assessments conducted in 2012 and 2015 identified sustainability as a priority area where awardees need support. The challenge is for CDC to determine what factors and strategies enable awardees to successfully maintain and support their efforts post funding. methods: In 2012-2013, CDC established a development committee, comprised of subject matter experts and an awardee advisory panel, to develop sustainability guidance. In 2012 and 2015, CDC also conducted literature reviews on this topic. More recently, a sample of community based organizations engaged in sustainability initiatives were interviewed. CDC also presented sustainability elements to CDC awardees at an in-person technical assistance meeting. results: The consensus of the literature, subject matter expert input, community analysis, and awardee concurrence indicate that the following sustainability elements are important: a compelling needs assessment; early partner engagement and plan development; a supportive fiscal agent and quality staff; participative governance; diversification of program scope and resources; partner training; and agreement on evaluation outcomes. discussion & conclusion: Given the variety of community contexts, there is no one approach to community sustainability. However, results suggest several sustainability elements that all communities might consider in order to maintain a long-term collaborative effort that strives to make the best use of community resources and thrives in the face of change. As a result of these findings, CDC will emphasize sustainability training through the provision of direct technical assistance, website support, webinars, etc.

Introduction In 2007, the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition program, a CDC grantee, partnered with Kaiser Permanente and the Colorado Health Foundation to streamline financial management, technical assistance and evaluation of grants to address obesity prevention. LiveWell Colorado (LWC), while initially a funding initiative, became a 501c3 to enable the necessary advocacy to address systems and policy changes. The current Community Partnership program aims to create a community-level healthy eating and active living (HEAL) movement capable of continuing and strengthening its impact long after LWC funding ends. Methods In 2014, LWC conducted a survey with LiveWell community coordinators to determine how to strengthen the network of HEAL partners and be more deliberate in the provision of opportunities to build the capacity of communities and staff. Results The survey results confirmed the need to create a more flexible community partnership program that provides individualized technical assistance; networking and convening within communities at the local, regional and statewide level; strategic funding assistance for specific aspects of programs and activities; and evaluation specific to local goals. Discussion and Conclusion Given the variety of community contexts, there is no one approach to community sustainability. In 2016, LiveWell Colorado will implement a more flexible community partnership model and technical assistance program to further sustainability efforts in individual communities as well as the overall statewide organization. Training and technical assistance will be provided to increase community capacity to raise and leverage additional dollars, institutionalize interventions and conditions within agencies and organizations, and build cultural expectations around healthy eating and active living.

Park Hill Thriving Communities (PHTC), a northeast Denver neighborhood, received funding from LiveWell Colorado (LWC) from 2005 to 2013 to increase healthy eating and active living (HEAL) opportunities. A multi-sector coalition was established and used extensive resident engagement to identify community-supported program, policy and environmental changes to accomplish their goals. This presentation will demonstrate how the place based PHTC initiative helped to ultimately inform HEAL efforts at the municipal level to achieve sustainability. During the final year of LWC funding, the PHTC fiscal agent, Denver Environmental Health, conducted a policy scan to identify evidence-based food system policies and best practices to address food insecurity and childhood obesity. During the policy scan process, PHTC and City and County of Denver stakeholders prioritized new and existing food system policy options that could be leveraged to reach health, economic and environmental sustainability goals. The policy scan findings informed the Mayor's Sustainable Food Policy Council that healthy food retail and federal food and nutrition services programs are likely to be most effective at increasing access to and consumption of healthy foods and reducing body mass index in Denver. To move from a place-based neighborhood initiative toward collective impact the PHTC initiative informed the need for the City and County of Denver and its partners to create a common agenda and unified food system vision. Multiple city agencies and affiliates are now using a coordinated approach to align plans and proposed goals through a strategic Citywide food plan that will impact Denver's health, economic and environmental sustainability goals.