A logic model is a visual representation that maps out how a nonprofit program or intervention is expected to work, showing the logical connections between resources, activities, and intended outcomes. The five core components of a logic model are:
1. Inputs (Resources)
Inputs represent all the resources that go into your program – the “what you have to work with.” These include human resources like staff and volunteers, financial resources such as funding and donations, physical resources like facilities and equipment, and partnerships or collaborations. For example, a literacy program might list inputs as reading specialists, volunteers, books and materials, classroom space, and funding from foundations.
2. Activities (What You Do)
Activities are the specific actions, services, events, or interventions your organization implements using the inputs. These are the concrete steps your program takes to address the identified problem. Activities should be directly connected to your inputs and designed to produce your desired outputs. Using the literacy example, activities might include one-on-one tutoring sessions, group reading workshops, teacher training, and family literacy nights.
3. Outputs (Direct Products)
Outputs measure the direct products of your activities – the immediate, tangible results of what you do. These are typically quantifiable and represent participation levels or units of service delivered. Outputs answer questions like “How much?” and “How many?” For the literacy program, outputs could include the number of students tutored, hours of instruction provided, books distributed, or workshops conducted.
4. Outcomes (Changes or Benefits)
Outcomes represent the changes or benefits that result from your activities and outputs. They are typically divided into short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcomes. Short-term outcomes are immediate changes (increased knowledge or skills), medium-term outcomes show behavioral changes (improved reading habits), and long-term outcomes demonstrate lasting impact (improved academic performance or graduation rates). These should directly relate to your program’s intended beneficiaries.
5. Impact (Ultimate Goal)
Impact represents the fundamental, long-lasting change your program aims to achieve in the broader community or society. This is the ultimate “why” behind your work – the big-picture transformation you’re working toward. Impact often takes years to achieve and may result from multiple programs working together. For a literacy program, the long-term impact might be reducing educational inequality in the community or improving overall economic mobility.
These five components work together in a logical chain, with each element building on the previous one. The model helps nonprofits articulate their theory of change, plan more effectively, identify what to measure, and communicate their work clearly to stakeholders, funders, and the community they serve.
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