Grant Writing Logic Models and Theory of Change 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of an 'intermediate outcome' in a youth literacy program logic model?
- Number of books purchased for the library
- Participants report increased confidence in reading after 6 months (Correct answer)
- Students graduate from high school
- Number of tutoring sessions held per week
Correct answer: Participants report increased confidence in reading after 6 months
Intermediate outcomes represent changes in behavior or practice that occur between the initial program activities and the ultimate long-term impact, such as increased reading confidence.
Question 2: The 'if-then' language commonly used in Theories of Change serves what purpose?
- It satisfies a legal requirement for nonprofit contracts
- It makes explicit the causal logic connecting activities to outcomes (Correct answer)
- It replaces the need for a formal evaluation plan
- It describes the budget justification narrative
Correct answer: It makes explicit the causal logic connecting activities to outcomes
'If-then' statements ('If we do X, then Y will happen') articulate the causal assumptions linking program activities to expected changes, making the logic transparent for funders and evaluators.
Question 3: What is the main risk of including too many outcomes in a logic model?
- It may confuse the funder and dilute focus, making it harder to demonstrate measurable impact (Correct answer)
- Funders always require a minimum of ten outcomes per logic model
- It automatically disqualifies the proposal from consideration
- It increases the budget requirements significantly
Correct answer: It may confuse the funder and dilute focus, making it harder to demonstrate measurable impact
Overloading a logic model with too many outcomes can obscure priorities, make evaluation difficult, and suggest the program lacks strategic focus.
Question 4: In logic model terminology, 'activities' refer to:
- The final measurable results of the program after five years
- The specific actions and processes used to bring about change, such as training workshops or case management (Correct answer)
- The total amount of grant funding requested
- The community needs identified in the needs assessment
Correct answer: The specific actions and processes used to bring about change, such as training workshops or case management
Activities are the specific interventions, services, and processes a program carries out using its inputs to produce outputs and achieve outcomes.
Question 5: Which W.K. Kellogg Foundation resource is widely recognized as a foundational guide for developing logic models in the nonprofit sector?
- The Federal Register
- The Logic Model Development Guide (Correct answer)
- OMB Circular A-133
- The Uniform Grant Guidance
Correct answer: The Logic Model Development Guide
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Logic Model Development Guide is one of the most widely used and cited resources for nonprofits and grant writers learning to build effective logic models.
Question 6: A grant writer is building a Theory of Change for a job-training program. Which element would be MOST important to include to satisfy a sophisticated funder?
- A list of all partner organization logos
- The causal pathway explaining how job-skills training leads to employment and economic self-sufficiency (Correct answer)
- A color-coded budget spreadsheet
- The resumes of board members
Correct answer: The causal pathway explaining how job-skills training leads to employment and economic self-sufficiency
Sophisticated funders expect grant writers to articulate the causal mechanism — why and how the intervention produces change — not just list activities.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes an 'impact' as used at the far right of a logic model?
- The number of clients enrolled in the program during year one
- Fundamental, long-term changes in community conditions, systems, or populations attributable to the program (Correct answer)
- The cost per participant served by the program
- The quarterly reports submitted to the funder
Correct answer: Fundamental, long-term changes in community conditions, systems, or populations attributable to the program
Impact refers to the ultimate, long-term changes in a community or population that the program contributes to, often taking years to materialize and measure.
Grant Writing Logic Models and Theory of Change 2
Which of the following is an example of an 'intermediate outcome' in a youth literacy program logic model?