Sustainability is the capacity to endure.

(Wikipedia) Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come [...] (Wikipedia again)

But what is sustainable aid? Even Wikipedia does not have an answer for this. But it doesn't mean that sustainable aid doesn't exist. On the contrary, it's definition is in the process of being created by development scientists, workers, and students worldwide. It might be a good thing too: when there is no definition, there is always something to think about, to analyze, to argue...

While "sustainable" means merely "capable to endure", when it is put in the phrase "sustainable aid", to me it takes a whole lot of different meanings, all of them describing the best that aid world has to offer.

Sustainable aid, in my opinion, is grassroots oriented, it uses bottom-up approaches, involves constant conversation with aid recipients and uses their feedback, it's collaborative, it's not afraid of failures and is not scared to admit them, it's honest and idealistic, yet very realistic about situation on the ground, it is mission-driven and people-oriented, yet it is also marketable and scalable, stream-lined, well-managed and financed.  

Sounds like an unachievable ideal? It might be so, but why settle for less?

"Go for the moon. If you don't get it, you'll still be heading for a star."   Willis Reed