Theory of Change & Logic Models Flashcards

A CNC consultant is helping a nonprofit revise its logic model after a mid-cycle evaluation found weak outcome achievement. The FIRST step should be to:

Answer: Examine whether the underlying causal assumptions are still valid

Weak outcomes often signal flawed assumptions rather than poor implementation; revisiting the causal logic is the essential diagnostic first step.

A logic model's 'outputs' are distinguished from 'outcomes' primarily because outputs:

Answer: Measure what was produced or delivered, not what changed in participants

Outputs are counts of activities and products (workshops held, meals served), while outcomes are changes in knowledge, behavior, or conditions resulting from those activities.

In a theory of change, 'equity lens' application means the organization examines:

Answer: How historical and structural inequities affect who benefits from the program and how

Applying an equity lens requires interrogating how power, privilege, and systemic barriers shape who the program reaches and what outcomes are achievable for different groups.

A nonprofit serving formerly incarcerated individuals builds a theory of change that assumes employers will hire participants if they have certifications. This assumption would be tested by examining:

Answer: Employer attitudes toward hiring people with criminal records in the local labor market

The assumption about employer willingness is a contextual assumption; testing it requires understanding real employer behavior and attitudes in that specific market.

Which of the following is an example of a MEDIUM-TERM outcome (typically 2–5 years) in a family economic stability program?

Answer: Participants achieve homeownership or stable housing

Homeownership or stable housing represents a significant change in life conditions that typically occurs over years of sustained behavior change and is a classic medium-term outcome.

A program officer asks a nonprofit to show 'evidence of effectiveness' for its theory of change. The strongest response would be to present:

Answer: A peer-reviewed literature review showing similar interventions produced similar outcomes

Peer-reviewed research on analogous programs provides the most rigorous external evidence that the causal mechanisms in a theory of change are plausible and have worked in similar contexts.

A nonprofit's theory of change is described as 'testable.' This quality is MOST important because it means:

Answer: The causal claims can be examined through data collection and evaluation

A testable theory of change contains specific, measurable causal claims that can be confirmed or disconfirmed through systematic data collection and evaluation.