While the use of design in government is on the rise, there is a question about whether this way of working in government can be sustained in the long-term. If you are interested in building design capacity in government, do you start with a dedicated team of experts, or with grassroots frontline staff? Using examples from city governments from around the world, this presentation will explore the pros and cons to each approach, its impact on sustainability, and the additional factors that help embed design in government (i.e.: senior leadership buy-in, dedicated resources, storytelling, measuring impact, etc.).