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Hi, friend!

The holidays are over and it's time to get back to business!

The new year is upon us - time for fresh starts and setting goals for the months ahead. When making resolutions or plans, have you ever thought about how to connect the steps needed to achieve your goals? This is essentially what a logic model does.

Logic models are a useful tool for mapping out any plan or initiative, including your personal goals for the year. The visual format helps outline the resources and actions needed to achieve desired outcomes.

So whether you're writing a grant for a new (or even an existing) program or setting health and lifestyle goals for yourself, consider creating a logic model first.

Today, let's dive into what logic models are, why they're helpful for grant proposals, and how you can develop one for any project or initiative, using one of my goals for 2024.

What is a Logic Model?

A logic model is a graphical tool used to plan and evaluate programs and initiatives. Logic models show the relationship between the inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact of a program (don't worry - I'll explain each of these next). They visually tell the story of how your program or project will achieve its goals.

Here are the key components of a basic logic model:

• Inputs: The financial, human, and material resources needed to implement the program. This includes things like funding, staff, facilities, equipment, volunteer time, etc.
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• Activities: The specific actions, processes, tools, events, and interventions of the program. Activities transform resources into outputs.
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• Outputs: The direct and tangible results from program activities. These are typically described in terms of volume, such as the number of people served, classes delivered, materials produced, etc.
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• Outcomes: The shorter-term and intermediate changes or benefits that result from the program. Outcomes occur after outputs and can include changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors, etc. They are generally measurable within the timeframe of the program or grant funding period.
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• Impact: The long-term or ultimate change or benefit related to the program goals. Impacts tend to be broader, higher-level changes in organizations, communities, or systems that occur after outcomes are achieved. The impact often continues beyond the program timeframe.

Why Use a Logic Model?

There are several key benefits to developing a logic model when designing a program or writing a grant proposal:

• Visualize connections - The visual format allows you to clearly see the relationships between resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes. This big-picture view lets you ensure everything aligns.
• Identify gaps - Mapping out the program theory and logic enables you to proactively uncover any potential gaps in the design early on.
• Monitor implementation - With the program components mapped out, you can more easily track progress and performance throughout implementation to ensure fidelity.
• Support evaluation - Logic models facilitate process and outcome measurement by matching indicators to each output and outcome you plan to evaluate.
• Explain rationale - Funders want to understand the rationale behind funding requests. Logic models let you visually show how investments link to results.
• Plan improvements - Logic models provide a framework to inform program adjustments and improvements over time, helping build the evidence base.

Whether you're designing a new program or have an established one, a logic model has a bunch of benefits, from visualizing connections to planning evaluations. Investing time early on to map out the relationships between elements will pay dividends throughout implementation and assessment.

Logic Model Example

After grad school, my reading dipped a lot. And by "dipped a lot", I mean I basically quit reading. Between work and family life, it just wasn't a priority. Last year, that changed. As a goal for 2023, I set out to read 12 books—one per month.

And I failed... But I did read 6! (Which was 5 more than in 2022)

So this year I've decided to still challenge myself but to be more realistic. It's all about incremental changes, right?

In 2024, my goal is to read 8 books.

This is how I would break it down in a logic model (click here to see it mapped out visually):

Inputs

• Time to read
• Budget for purchasing books
• Library access
• E-reader or books

Activities

• Make a list of books to read
• Designate reading time in schedule
• Purchase/check out books
• Read books

Outputs

• 8 books read in 2024
• X number of hours read in 2024

Outcomes

• Improved knowledge of book topics
• Entertainment and enjoyment
• Improved focus and concentration
• Stress relief

Impact

• Ongoing habit of reading for learning and pleasure
• Increased self-confidence in ability to read more
• Broadened worldview and perspectives

The next time you write a grant proposal, consider developing a logic model. You don't have to share it with the funder unless you want to or it's requested. Simply creating one, though, will help you see how outcomes will be achieved, which will go a long way in guiding your narrative.

And if you need some help, I've created a template of a basic logic model that can guide you in the process.

Kind regards,

Brandon Green, LMSW, GPC
www.brandongreenconsulting.com
bgreen@brandongreenconsulting.com

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Whenever you're ready, here are some ways I might be able to help you:

• Grant reviewing: Want another set of eyes on your proposal? Send it my way and I'll give you feedback and coaching on how to improve your chance of being awarded.
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• Picking my brain: Have a burning grants question or situation you need some help thinking through? Schedule a 30-minute call and let's chat about it!
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• Coaching: Need more than 30 minutes? Want help building a grants system or working through a proposal? Reach out and let's see if one-on-one coaching might be a good fit for you.
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• Online courses: I'm working on a course focused on everything prospecting and I can't wait to share it with you! Stay tuned.