University teachers funded to engage in educational development projects have been found to become increasingly engaged in the scholarship of teaching and learning. However, research also points to obstacles such as departmental culture, lack of support from management, and unhelpful administrative processes. In this study, I interview university teachers and their heads of departments in an educational development grants scheme, to explore dimensions of sustainable educational development. The results show how the sustainability of projects is influenced by the way heads of departments work in partnership with university teachers in relation to local educational cultures, engagement of peers, and legitimacy.