The Logic Behind the Logic Model: Connecting Change with Action

Hosted by the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits

Date: August 18, 2011 Time: 9:00 am to Noon Location: Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
400 E. Monroe, Phoenix, AZ  85004

What is a good idea worth? Why should anyone else care?  What is the Return On Investment?  What has changed?  Funders are now commonly requiring Logic Models as way to answer these questions and determine their ROI in your organization.  The Logic Behind the Logic Model is a fast-paced, resource-rich workshop that offers a simple and powerful way of thinking about, assessing, and communicating the work your organization does in the world. You’ll learn and practice using new tools for crafting clear-cut evaluation plans for your proposals, including:

• The Change Map –  a tool to communicate your organization’s theory of change in to action.
• Program Logic Model – a tool to map your program’s inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and goals.
• How to use the Logic Model process to create powerful outcome statements and evaluation plans funders will love.
• The Logic Model in Action: Samples from a variety of community organizations

My Takeaways:

I'm just going to regurgitate the learning and experiential objectives that were listed for this workshop because basically it's self-explanatory. I recently decided that even though I'm the founder of TWZ and will have to play the role of ED, I would prefer to be a Program Director. Learning about this model will definitely help me in applying this concept for planning a program and may even help me in my Program Planning and Evaluation course.

So, after participating in this workshop, attendees will:

1. Have a solid, flexible working vocabulary of terminology with Change Mapping, Logic Models, and evaluation planning and design.
2. Be able to articulate the Universal Ideal toward which his/her program's work is directed or toward which it contributes.
3. Have basic tools for identifying and articulating the Change Gap--the gap between "what we say we want" and "what we see we have."
4. Understand the importance of maintaining a clear focus on the Universal Ideal while selecting appropriate interventions and strategies for moving toward it.
5. Be prepared to create a Change Map for a specific program or service within her/his organization.
6. Know how the framework of the Logic Model fits into the greater context of the Change Map.
7. Understand the purposes and application of a Logic Model in program planning, evaluation design, and program management.
8. Have hands-on experience in mapping out a basic Logic Model for a real-life situation, and be prepared to apply the same framework to his/her own work situations.
9. Understand and be able to share with others the "logic" behind the Logic Model, and use this understanding to facilitate strong program planning, evaluation design, and program management.
10. Be familiar with a variety of forms or shapes of Logic Models and comfortable working with them.