• Go back to Chapter 6 of this text. How do various terms related to the outcomes model related to SOS and how it reports the impact of No Kid Hungry?
• Many factors affect the prevalence of hunger, including gneral economic conditions, the commitmnet of state officials, and political suport for government food programs. In light of thes various factors, how should Share Our Strength try to evaluate its own impact on the problem?

Theory of ChangeHow we effect change

The overarching set of formal relationships presumed to exist for a defined population, the intended outcomes that are the focus of the organizations work, and the logic model for producing the intended outcomes. A theory of change should be meaningful to stakeholders, plausible in that it conforms to common sense, doable with available resources, and measurable.

Logic ModelWhat we do and how

The logically related parts of a program, showing the links between program objectives, program activities (efforts applied coherently and reliably over a sustained time), and expected program outcomes. A logic model makes clear who will be served, what should be accomplished, and specifically how it will be done (i.e., written cause-and-effect statements for a given program design).

InputsWhat resources are committed

The resourcesmoney, time, staff, expertise, methods, and facilitiesthat an organization commits to a program to produce the intended outputs, outcomes, and impact.

OutputsWhat we count

The volume of a programs actions, such as products created or delivered, number of people served, and activities and services carried out.

OutcomesWhat we wish to achieve

Socially meaningful changes for those served by a program, generally defined in terms of expected changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes, behavior, condition, or status. These changes should be measured, be monitored as part of an organizations work, link directly to the efforts of the program, and serve as the basis for accountability.

IndicatorsWhat we use to stay on course

Specific, observable, and measurable characteristics, actions, or conditions that demonstrate whether a desired change has happened toward the intended outcome. Also called outcome indicators or predictive indicators.

ImpactWhat we aim to effect

To slightly oversimplify, the results that can be directly attributed to the outcomes of a given program or collective of programs, as determined by evaluations that are capable of factoring out (at a high level of statistical probability) other explanations for how these results came to be.