This document provides guidance on developing effective nonprofit programs, including conducting a community needs assessment, designing the program using a logic model, establishing performance measures, and evaluating the program. It recommends assessing community needs through research and stakeholder input to ensure the program addresses an existing problem. The logic model should outline the program's goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes. Performance measures should track progress quantitatively against the goals. Regular program evaluations by an external evaluator can measure impact and guide improvements.

1. Program Development
& Logic Model
Designing, developing, and
evaluating non-profit programs

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Community Initiatives
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Program Development/Logic Model
When developing a new program, it is especially
important that an organization address a few key
points when applying for funds to finance the
program. The following guidelines cover these
crucial steps, which include:
 Assessment of community needs
 Program design
 Performance measurement
 Program evaluation

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Community Initiatives
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Community Needs Assessment
Before designing a program, it is recommended that an
organization conduct a community needs assessment to
determine that the program is addressing a need that
exists in the community. In order to get an accurate
picture, this assessment should involve people
representing various aspects of the community. In
gathering research, the following questions may serve as
a guideline:
 Who does the problem affect? How many people are
affected?
 How is this problem addressed in other locations
affected by it? What has and has not worked?
 Is this problem already being addressed in this
community? How?
Continued…

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Community Initiatives
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Community Needs Assessment
Continued
A new program should not be replicating services
already provided in the community. If the needs
assessment determines that the problem is
already being addressed adequately by other
organizations in the community, it may be best to
narrow or broaden the program’s approach to
address the problem in a unique manner.
Visit other organizations addressing the problem,
in the community or not, to assess what
approaches do and do not work, and how
services can be improved upon.

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Community Initiatives
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Program Design
Some basic qualities of a good program are that it:
 Describes and gives evidence of a community need that can
be addressed.
 Identifies a gap in services available in the community which
address the need.
 Explains why this program is an appropriate strategy to meet
the need.
 Outlines the activities of program members in addressing the
need.
 Establishes community partnerships in the process of
addressing the community need.
 Anticipates the positive outcome of the program in the
community.
 Defines the method of measuring results (see the following
section on Performance Measurement).

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Community Initiatives
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The Logic Model
A recommended method of program design is to
use a logic model to plan and evaluate the
proposed program. A logic model is a depiction
of the processes and targeted outcomes of the
program. This should help the organization to
specify goals, identify what resources are
needed, identify indicators of progress and
measurements of success, and communicate
the program’s potential value.

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Community Initiatives
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The Logic Model –
Components
The components of a basic logic model include:
 Needs: The community need as identified in the
Community Needs Assessment.
 Inputs: The resources needed to complete activities.
 Activities: What staff, volunteers, etc. actually do.
 Outputs: A measurement of the actual amount of
service completed.
 Intermediate Outcomes: Measurable change and
improvements in the program’s constituents and/or
community.
 End Outcomes: The target changes that the
organization hopes to achieve in the program’s
constituents and/or community.

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Community Initiatives
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Sample Logic Model
Need Inputs Activities Outputs Inter-
mediate
Outcomes
End
Outcomes
Low third-
grade
reading
performance
Staff
Books
Space
Volunteers
20
volunteers
will tutor
children one-
on-one in
reading 3
times a week
(x) number
of children
tutored
Increased
number of
books read,
increased
reading on
own
Increased
reading
performance,
improved
grades

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Community Initiatives
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Performance Measurement
The purpose of performance measures is to
capture the ongoing progress the program
is making. It should provide a snapshot of
the impact of the work that the
organization is doing. This is an especially
important step in establishing
accountability to any funder. Identify all of
the services the organization provides and
the likely impact these services will have
on the community.

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Community Initiatives
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Performance Measurement –
Tracking Tools
Determine tracking tools for use in measuring the results of
services offered. These measures should focus on goal
outputs and outcomes, as identified by the community
needs assessment and defined by the program’s logic
model. The measures should be in quantifiable terms
and clearly defined.
A good guide for determining performance measures is the
acronym SMART. They should be:
 Specific
 Measurable
 Attainable
 Realistic
 Timely

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Community Initiatives
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Program Evaluation
The program evaluation should be an analytical study which measures
the progress and impact the program has made. Evaluations should
be scheduled and carried out throughout the course of the program.
This should consist of thorough and objective research conducted
by an experienced evaluator, starting at the beginning of the
program year. Resources for finding a program evaluator include
colleges and universities, research firms, and community
organizations. The evaluator should collect data relevant to the
program’s activities and programs and evaluate the organization’s
impact.
The organization should be consistently involved in the evaluation
process and should adjust the programs offered according to
performance measures and program evaluations in order to best
serve the community.

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Community Initiatives
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Final Note
Program development is a complicated
process, about which this resource offers
only a brief overview. For more information
on program development and the logic
model, please refer to the resources listed
on the following slide.

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Community Initiatives
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Additional Resources
 CNCS Program Toolkit:
http://nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/downloa
d/online/sustainability_toolkit.pdf
 Logic Models:
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/powerpt/nut
ritionconf05.ppt
 Logic Model Development Guide:
http://www.wkkf.org/Pubs/Tools/Evaluation/Pub3669.pdf
 Logic Model - University of Idaho:
http://www.uidaho.edu/extension/LogicModel.pdf