Increasing the Capacity of Individuals, Families and Communities

Outcomes Measurement

Getting Started | Performance Indicators

Logic Models and Program Theory

Presented in a clear graphic format in precise language, the program logic model is a representation of the linkages between program activities and the changes those activities will produce.⁷ It helps you see whether there is any “logic” to your program—whether the connections between what you do and what you hope to achieve make sense. It provides greater clarity about and helps tell the story of your program.

You can create a logic model to organize a great deal of information about your technical assistance services. As you can see from the example below, a logic model is a great way to “tell your story.” It describes the resources you need, the activities you plan to carry out, the products of those activities and the resulting impact you intend to achieve. It is often helpful to use the development of a logic model as a program planning or design tool, as it can help you think through what it will take to achieve the outcomes you have in mind.

“If you give people enough support and time to think through how they can personalize it (outcome measurement) to their program, it is a strong program development tool. It requires them to really think about whether the activities they are offering lead to the outcomes they care about most.”

Faith in Action Initiative
United Way of Massachusetts Bay

This connection between the activities you provide and the outcomes you hope to accomplish is known as the program theory; it articulates the assumptions about the ability of certain activities to drive particular changes. Many non-profit providers, including FBOs and CBOs, use logic models as a tool to reflect the program theory underlying their programs. One contribution outcome measurement can make in your own organization is to demonstrate whether or not the program theory underlying your technical assistance efforts is valid. There is a great deal of research available regarding methods of achieving different types of organizational capacity. By referring to these studies, you can make sure you build a program design based on sound theory.

Here's an example, along with a sample logic model, that shows how you might display a technical assistance program:

Example:

There is a great deal of research available that describes effective methods for disseminating knowledge and skills. This research reveals the relationship between the complexity of the information being transferred and the transfer method. The findings from the research indicate that the more complex the information being transferred, the more important in-person training and coaching become. In designing effective technical assistance for capacity building, you need to think about how to build such research findings into your practice.

Technical Assistance Program Goal Inputs or Resources Activities Outputs Outcomes Resources available to the program that allow and support provision of technical assistance, including money, staff, volunteers, clients, materials or equipment The technical assistance methods carried out by staff The product delivered or unit of technical assistance provided, usually described numerically, such as number of organizations served or number of hours of service The changes that occur for FBCOs, as a result of the technical assistance provided CCF funding Staff expertise Training manuals FBCO clients Provide one-on-one financial management coaching Conduct board development training workshop Develop content-specific manuals Provide phone and email follow-up after training # of one-on-one coaching sessions # of hours of coaching # of training workshops # of FBCO staff trained # of hours of training # of manuals # of follow-up phone calls Increased FBCO compliance with financial management requirements Improved FBCO understanding of board roles Increased FBCO

Look at the elements that make up the logic model and use the questions below to help you define the elements of your technical assistance program:

• Inputs/Resources: What inputs or ingredients do you need to operate your program? How many staff? How large a budget? How many FBCOs do you need to have as clients?
• Activities: What will you do? What methods will you use to deliver your technical assistance? What content areas will you cover? What level of assistance will you provide (e.g., six one-on-one coaching sessions for executive directors)?
• Outputs: What will be the tangible products of your assistance? To how many FBCOs will you provide coaching? How many sets of financial policy guidelines will you produce? How many hours of training will you provide? How many people will you train?
• Outcomes: What impact will your technical assistance have on your FBCO clients? What is reasonable to expect in the way of change?

Resist the temptation to create logic models that show a one-to-one relationship between each Resource, Activity, Output and Outcome. It may be true that you can create a single Output related to each Activity, but it generally requires a comprehensive array of Resources in order to deliver the Activities, and it may take several or all of the Activities to produce the Outcomes.

Tip for Creating a Logic Model Similar to the development of outcome chains, creating logic models works well as a group activity. Take large pieces of newsprint and hang them on the wall. Write down one component of the logic model on each sheet (i.e., resources, activities, outputs, outcomes) in the logic model’s order.

Begin with the outcomes first; it’s important to decide what you want to achieve in the way of impacts before you define what and how much of your technical assistance activities will be necessary to accomplish them. View your program logic models as working documents that are subject to change as you learn more about what works. You’ll find the logic model to be a useful program planning tool in incorporating changes and improving your technical assistance program over time.

Logic Model and Program Theory Checklist Have you included all of the Resources you will need? Are the following items listed? — Service providers: staff, volunteers — Program setting: community settings, agency facilities — “Service technologies”: curriculum/class material, treatment plans — Funding sources: private or public funding, donations, fee for service — Participants: client organizations Are all of the Activities included and described in some detail? (e.g., number and length of coaching sessions, types of computer training) Have you described an Output, product or unit of service for each activity? (e.g., number of FBCOs trained, number of hours of training each organization received, type of computer assistance, etc.) Have the participants been counted and described in your Output column? (e.g., 9 FBCOs, 54 staff, 88 board members, etc.) Is the intensity of the activities appropriate for the type of organization with whom you are working? Organizations with greater needs require more assistance (e.g., six four-hour coaching sessions on fundraising rather than two four-hour sessions). (You will need to develop your outcomes before you can answer this question; that’s one reason to create the outcomes first. If you don’t know your clients’ needs or abilities at the outset, you may not know the answer to this question and will have to come back to it later.) Is the duration of the activities appropriate for the type of organization? Higher needs organizations will take longer to absorb and implement the improvements you are helping them make (e.g., you may be providing coaching for 12 months rather than six). (Once again, you’ll need to define the impacts you hope to make before you can assess how much assistance your clients will require, and you may need to come back to this question if you don’t know about your clients’ needs or abilities.) Are your Outcomes directly related to your activities? Is it possible to achieve the results you have listed with the type and amount of activities you are planning to deliver? Do the Outcomes address changes in knowledge, perceptions, attitude, skills or behavior?

The completion of your logic model signifies your success in accomplishing the first phase in conducting outcome measurement. You have articulated what you want to accomplish and how you plan to go about making it happen. Further, your outcome chain describes why you believe your planned technical activities will produce the impacts you intend. A worksheet to assist you with creating logic models is in the Appendix.

Getting Started | Performance Indicators