1) Facilitating and Demonstrating Change

Logic models, and the outcomes frameworks that are built from organizations, are essential in program planning, implementation, management, evaluation, and communication. The logic models in the outcomes framework will help determine what, who, and how to evaluate so that our evaluation resources are used effectively and efficiently.

Logic models help visualize and organize a program’s plans for moving from high-level goals to concrete outcomes. They facilitate the assessment and demonstration of change in programs, participants, and staff by making program goals, outcomes, and performance targets explicit. Change is demonstrated by measuring outcomes at more than one point in time and comparing them. Logic models specify both which instruments or means will be used to measure each outcome, and which outcomes will be used to measure program progress towards each goal.

The Outcomes Framework will specify critical information that we need for program accountability and improvement. It will not, however, codify CentroNía’s assumptions about why our activities will bring about the desired changes. Once fully implemented we will be able to use the information from this Outcomes Framework to demonstrate the effects of the work we do, i.e., meeting goals, which was the major impetus for its creation.