Grant Writing Logic Models and Theory of Change 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a logic model in a grant proposal?
- To list the names of all project staff members
- To visually map the relationship between program resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes (Correct answer)
- To provide a detailed financial breakdown of the budget
- To summarize the organization's mission statement
Correct answer: To visually map the relationship between program resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes
A logic model visually illustrates how a program's inputs and activities are expected to lead to desired outputs and outcomes, making it a planning and communication tool for funders.
Question 2: Which component of a logic model refers to the staff, funding, facilities, and equipment available for a program?
- Outputs
- Outcomes
- Inputs (Correct answer)
- Activities
Correct answer: Inputs
Inputs (also called resources) are the human, financial, organizational, and community resources a program has available to invest in the work.
Question 3: In a logic model, 'outputs' are best described as:
- Long-term changes in community conditions
- Direct products of program activities, such as number of workshops held or participants served (Correct answer)
- The financial returns generated by the program
- Changes in participant knowledge or behavior
Correct answer: Direct products of program activities, such as number of workshops held or participants served
Outputs are the direct, countable products of activities — such as training sessions conducted, materials distributed, or people served — that can be measured immediately.
Question 4: What distinguishes 'short-term outcomes' from 'long-term outcomes' in a logic model?
- Short-term outcomes are measured in dollars; long-term outcomes are measured in people
- Short-term outcomes involve changes in knowledge or attitudes expected within 1–3 years; long-term outcomes involve sustained behavior or condition changes over 4–6+ years (Correct answer)
- Short-term outcomes apply only to staff; long-term outcomes apply to participants
- Short-term outcomes are optional; long-term outcomes are required by all funders
Correct answer: Short-term outcomes involve changes in knowledge or attitudes expected within 1–3 years; long-term outcomes involve sustained behavior or condition changes over 4–6+ years
Short-term outcomes typically reflect changes in awareness, knowledge, or skills in the near term, while long-term outcomes reflect deeper behavior change or systemic impact over a longer timeframe.
Question 5: A Theory of Change differs from a logic model primarily because it:
- Replaces the need for a budget narrative
- Explains the underlying assumptions and causal pathways that connect activities to long-term impact (Correct answer)
- Lists only the program's inputs and outputs
- Is only used for government grant applications
Correct answer: Explains the underlying assumptions and causal pathways that connect activities to long-term impact
A Theory of Change articulates the 'why' and 'how' behind a program by making explicit the assumptions and causal mechanisms that connect interventions to ultimate impact.
Question 6: Which of the following best represents an 'assumption' in a Theory of Change?
- The total budget allocated to a program
- A belief that participants have reliable transportation to attend sessions (Correct answer)
- The number of staff hired for the project
- The funder's application deadline
Correct answer: A belief that participants have reliable transportation to attend sessions
Assumptions are conditions believed to be necessary for the program to succeed, such as participants having the means to attend, that are outside the program's direct control.
Question 7: When presenting a logic model in a grant proposal, what do funders most want to see?
- A complex diagram with as many components as possible to show thoroughness
- A clear, coherent chain of logic showing how program activities will plausibly lead to intended outcomes (Correct answer)
- Only the final long-term impact without detailing intermediate steps
- A list of competing organizations and why yours is better
Correct answer: A clear, coherent chain of logic showing how program activities will plausibly lead to intended outcomes
Funders use logic models to assess whether a program is well-designed and whether its activities are logically connected to the outcomes they care about.
Grant Writing Logic Models and Theory of Change 1
What is the primary purpose of a logic model in a grant proposal?