Two types of money are out there for those who would like to scale:
Build money and Buy money. As it's name suggests, build money is the money from donors who desire new programming, innovation, or institutions that will pursue the solving of a problem. Build money is what I believe to be the classic foundations who use the paradigm of their purpose as either to identify the depth/breadth of a problem; identify a solution to a problem; and/or test the solution. Buy money builds and maybe sustains the capacity to roll-out the solution -- what effectively becomes sustainability.
New paradigm -- not really; helpful reminder -- sure for those struggling to understand both what they are offering and how to "pitch" their offer. From my perspective this is all a reminder that those who seek funds should do so only after they fully understand the interests of their "target" donor. This is one of the foundations to an effective marketing strategy.
A follow-up panel (from which I can't say there were huge aha's for me) went more in-depth on this topic. The essential message I believe is pretty much a standard for sound sustainability/business planning: know your needs, know what you have, understand what's available and then plan accordingly.
The Finance Project has a five prong strategy I can't say this is a particularly new model): use current resources better; maximize fed & state revenue; leverage; partnerships; dedicated new revenue streams
CWV (Community Wealth Ventures) uses 5 factors that affect sustainability and are the basis for sustainability planning: social impact; focused business strategy tied to this impact; economic viability; capacity to deliver; adaptability.
Self-sufficiency is an important foundation for achieving sustainability. Self-suffiency recongizes that there is only so much capital in the market place. Affecting achievement of this is in-house talent and time.
NFF reminded us that there are a limited number of funders who have a very large role in determining who gets what support. If this funder doesn't measure the "right" thing, sustainability is affectd.
Again, bottom line -- sustainability strategy must match market interests. Some panelists suggested that the business model for achieving sustainability has just not been developed. I would not concur.