Logic Model for Nonprofit Financial Stewardship

Hi there, I'm in the midst of starting a nonprofit focused on early math learning.  The mission of the Early Math Initiative is to promote mathematical understanding and problem solving among young children with a special emphasis on low-income children ages 2-5 in the United States. The Early Math Initiative provides high-quality, one-on-one interactions with trained volunteer 'buddies' in early ed settings such as preschools or daycares, plus family support and in-home games & materials, to develop the critical early math skills, confidence, and joy, which young children need to be successful in school and in life.

Draft Logic Model -

Resources

* Volunteers for 1-on-1 interactions & game nights
* Research-based activities & games
* Connections with low-income daycares and preschools
* Connections with local colleges & businesses to recruit volunteers
* Funding for materials, online resources, & organizational support
* Space to hold family game nights
* Manufacturing capabilities for games & materials

Activities

* High-quality, 1-on-1 interactions between young children & volunteers in early ed settings
* Family support through game nights & take-home games/materials
* Volunteer training in early math best practices
* Online sales of games & materials on a 'one-for-one'/'Toms Shoes' model
* Online videos demonstrating 'math talk' in everyday activities

Outputs

* Number of volunteers trained and interacting
* Number of early ed settings (daycares, classrooms, etc)
* Number of children participating
* Number of parents attending game nights
* Number of games sold online
* Number of online video views and interactions

Outcomes

* Children have higher early math skills at end of program
* Children report enjoying math, feeling competent, and seeing math as useful
* Children enter Kindergarten with higher readiness skills
* Parents engage in more 'math talk' and games at home
* Parents report feeling more positive about math & their own problem solving abilities
* Volunteers report more connection to their community and more awareness of how math is all around us

Impact

* Children maintain higher math skills, confidence, & enjoyment through elementary and high school, including higher academic grades
* Children graduate high school at higher rates
* Children attend college at higher rates
* Children have better career and financial success in adulthood


1) What are the key lessons and insights you have about your organization’s financial resources as a result of developing your draft logic model?
One of the insights I got through doing the logic model was actually more about human resources - many of the resources we need to do the activities can be achieved through a combination of finances and human capital.  Certain things have to be 'bought', but other aspects could be found or 'traded' through connections.
Looking through the outcomes and the impact also reminded me to focus resources (financial and otherwise) on the activities that do show the results that we're looking for.

2) Did any parts of your logic model surprise you? Which ones and in what ways?
Working through the logic model short-term outcomes surprised me to think about what else are we hoping to see besides just raising test scores, and then how will we measure those outcomes (how do you measure enjoyment of math?).  Also, the children are important, but we want to see change for the parents/families and for the volunteers as well.

3) Are there any action steps concerning your organization’s financial resources as a result of developing your draft logic model? What do you hope to accomplish by pursuing these action steps?
At this point in the start of the nonprofit, we're mostly looking for funding, so clarifying our logic model is wonderful to be able to better articulate to potential funders what impact we're going to have.  I will start including the full model in larger fundraising, and mentioning the key aspects in smaller fundraising.