In a logic model, what is the difference between outputs and outcomes?

• A. Outputs are long-term changes; outcomes are immediate results.
• B. Outputs are financial expenditures; outcomes are participant counts.
• C. Outputs are tangible products or services delivered; outcomes are the short- to long-term effects.
• D. Outputs are intended effects; outcomes are activities performed.

Answer: (C)

In a logic model, what changes as a program runs versus what it produces are kept separate to show cause and effect clearly. Outputs are the tangible products or services the program delivers—things you can see and count, like the number of workshops held, materials distributed, or counseling sessions provided. Outcomes are the changes that happen as a result of those outputs—the short-, medium-, and long-term effects on participants or the system, such as increased knowledge, changed behaviors, or improved health.

That makes the best answer: outputs are tangible products or services delivered, while outcomes are the short- to long-term effects. The other descriptions mix up what is produced versus what changes, or reverse the direction of impact (for example, treating outcomes as immediate results or outputs as financial expenditures or activities).