Creating Useful Logic Models

Most human services nonprofits have at least heard of a logic model and most likely created one for a grant application. A logic model is a visual way to explain your theory of change. The United Way of America popularized the logic model process in 1996. A logic model should be more than just a step in writing a grant application—it can and should be helpful to your organization.

The basic idea of ​​a logic model is to show the relationships between inputs and outcomes, as well as intermediate activities, outputs, and the environment, of a program or intervention. At the lowest level, it shows your program’s theory of change: if we provide these resources, then we can do these activities. If our population participates in these activities, then these results will occur. If all of these things happen, our theory says that this outcome (or change) will happen in our community or for our participants. When visually drawing these relationships, we need to recognize the assumptions we make about the connections between our activities and expected results.

Since the main purpose of the logic model is to express a program’s theory of change, a common process is to start with the desired results and work backward. For example, if an organization wants to change Problem X in the community, the planning team might say, “What needs to happen for Problem X to change?” Continuing to ask what each previous step would change or impact will help your team focus on results rather than activities.

One of the common mistakes when creating a logic model is confusing the outputs with the results. Products are the programs or services an organization provides, while results are the difference those programs and services have made in our community. Here are some examples:

Departure: pantry with evening hours. Result: The person who has a low-paying job has dinner today.

Departure: free car seats for babies and installation assistance. Result: keeping a child safe in the car.

Output: City public works department project layout and number of potholes repaired. The result: better traffic flow, shorter travel times and fewer accidents.

As you can see, what really matters to us is the result. Since results can be difficult to measure and we assume the link between our products and the result is obvious, it’s easy to focus on activities and products rather than results. Using a logic model process can help.

Since some funding agencies require logic models in a certain visual format, teams can get bogged down in fitting ideas into logic model boxes instead of focusing on the modeling process itself. One of the best ways we’ve seen to help a team through this process is for the team to use a white board and sticky notes to easily change the headings and order of ideas. You can start by dividing the whiteboard into four columns (inputs, activities, outputs, and results), then team members write ideas on sticky notes that are placed in the columns. Team members, or a facilitator, can draw arrows, rearrange notes, and add new columns or charts, even working over multiple days.

Once your team has reached a consensus on your theory of change, you can put it into a visual format. He might even end up with multiple models. For example, a general model and then more detailed models for specific programs. Below are just a few examples of what his model would look like. The template most nonprofits are familiar with is the United Way.

Sometimes a logical flowchart model visually explains your theory of change more fully.

In recent years, we have also seen network analysis-style diagrams used to visually express logical models. The American Evaluation Association website is a good place to learn more about current discussions and best practices in logic modeling.

Large donors like the United Way, the WK Kellogg Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage nonprofit organizations to use logic models for more than grant applications. Some of the most common uses suggested by these funding agencies are:

• program planning
• Development of implementations
• Dissemination of information to employees and partners.
• Identify your underlying beliefs and assumptions
• Provide a framework for team conversation and understanding.
• Make sure the evaluations focus on the most important parts of the program.

Once you’ve mapped out your theory of change on the team whiteboard, it’s time to create the visual. If you are creating the logic model for a grant application, the grantor can provide a template in MS Word, MS Excel, or another format. Otherwise, United Way provides templates in MS Word and Excel. If you want something a little fancier, or a flowchart or visual network analysis, you can use a free or low-cost diagramming tool like Draw.io or LucidChart (both of which got high marks from PC Magazine in 2016).

Logic models can be powerful tools when used by a nonprofit organization to communicate the theory of change behind program decisions. While creating one can be a daunting task, there are plenty of resources to help. See additional reading below.

Further reading:

We suggest the following classics, which you can find at your local grant library or online.

United Way of America. (nineteen ninety six). Measuring program results: a practical approach.

Arlington, VA.

WK Kellogg Foundation (2004). Logic Model Development Guide. Battle Creek, MI.

US Department of Health and Human Services (2005). Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. Office of the Director, Office of Strategy and Innovation. Introduction to program evaluation for public health programs: a self-study guide. Atlanta Georgia.

Ellen Taylor-Powell and Ellen Henert, University of Wisconsin Extension (2008). Elaboration of a logical model: didactic and formative guide. Madison, WI.

The American Evaluation Association has multiple publications on logic models.