Exploring strategies for post-funding sustainability of health projects: A case study of the USAID Stop GBV Now project implemented by the Zambia Centre for Communication Programmes in Zambia

Over the years, donor support has significantly contributed to Zambia’s public health landscape. For instance, the USAID Stop GBV Now project, which is implemented by the Zambia Centre for Communication Programmes, has been instrumental in combating issues of gender-based violence (GBV) in Zambia. However, there still seems to be a prevalent challenge in sustaining the impacts of these interventions after the donor exits. This study explores sustainable strategies that ZCCP can employ to ensure the continuity of donor-funded health interventions beyond external financing. It specifically focuses on ZCCP’s USAID Stop GBV Now Project. Employing an inductive qualitative case study and conducting semi-structured interviews with 30 purposively selected stakeholders, including ZCCP staff, government officials, implementing partners, peer educators, and project beneficiaries. Reflexive thematic analysis found that developing resource mobilisation teams, engaging in income-generating activities, diversifying funding sources, and aligning with national policies and budgets are essential to sustaining the impacts of the project post-funding. Furthermore, other strategies such as fostering community ownership, strengthening strategic partnerships with government and private sector actors were considered equally important in sustaining the impacts of the project. Finally, human resource practices such as staff retention, volunteer incentives, and leadership development were also identified as critical to sustaining the impacts of the project interventions. The study also has both theoretical and practical contributions. Firstly, it advances literature on post-funding sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa and offers a practical framework for NGOs and policymakers seeking to preserve the impact of health interventions amid declining foreign aid.