CFCE Evaluation Attachment A - Logic Models

Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program Evaluation
Attachment A – Logic Models
The Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Program uses two logic models developed
through a series of stakeholder interviews and meetings to refine their contents for the: 1)
overall national grant program model 1 and 2) grantee logic model. 2 These are described below
in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively. These logic models identify the outcomes that will support the
predictions in the theory of change.
Exhibit 1.

Creative Forces Community Engagement
National Grant Program Logic Model

National grant program goal
The Creative Forces Community Engagement grant program aims to improve the health, well-being,
and quality of life of military-connected people who have faced trauma. This is achieved through arts
engagement activities that foster creativity, build social connections, improve resilience, and help
smooth the transition to civilian life.
National grant program inputs, activities, and outputs
Creative Forces administers grants and provides technical support for grantees. The initiative also
collects data to enhance learning and improve support. Creative Forces evaluates project
implementation, outcomes, and effectiveness.
Inputs
• funding
• grants administration
• technical assistance
• grantee contributions such as final reports, findings from data collection efforts,
narratives/stories, and contributions to the broader community of practice/field-building
• monitoring and evaluation tools
• existing research
Activities
• providing grants for community arts projects that improve the health and well-being of military
service members, veterans, families, and caregivers
• supporting project implementation
• monitoring and evaluating the grant program
• sharing knowledge to support military populations through the arts
Outputs
• awarding annual funds
• technical assistance
• monitoring and evaluation reports
• learning activities
Impacts

1
2

https://www.creativeforcesnrc.arts.gov/resources/national-logic-model-summary/
https://www.creativeforcesnrc.arts.gov/resources/grantee-logic-model-summary/

Program participants show improvements in creative expression, social connections, and resilience.
They can also gain independence and successfully adapt to civilian life. Grant recipients form stronger
networks and better understand the value of the arts to support health and well-being for militaryconnected populations.
Outcomes
There are three types of outcomes for the national program:
1. Grantee Outcomes
• Grant recipients partner with other organizations—such as veteran or military-serving
organizations, military clinics, arts organizations, or social service organizations—to
strengthen their programs for military-connected populations.
• Grant recipients increase their organizational capacity to design, deliver, evaluate, and sustain
programs to support military-connected populations through the arts.
• Grant projects increase understanding for grant recipients, partners, networks, and local
communities of how arts engagement can benefit military-connected populations.
2. Monitoring and Evaluation Outcomes
• Program monitoring and evaluation guide improvements and contribute to learning about the
role the arts can play in contributing to the health and well-being of military-connected
populations.
3. Learning Outcomes
• Evidence shows how community arts participation benefits military-connected populations.
Knowledge and resources grow through a learning community, advancing the field and
supporting community arts engagement.
• Agencies, organizations, funders, and policymakers understand the importance of community
arts engagement for military-connected populations.
Rationale
• There is a need to show how programs for military-connected people improve health and wellbeing. Research shows that community arts programs have positive effects on participants.
Feedback from Creative Forces’ pilot data collection efforts and observations from project
impact narratives indicates positive results from participation.
• Building strong partnerships among key groups—such as program participants, arts
organizations, and military service providers—ensures that valuable lessons are learned, and
best practices are shared.
• Improving program logic models and evaluations supports program quality and participant
outcomes. The ability to replicate programs is also easier.
• A national program that includes clinical and community partners can achieve greater impacts
for participants.
Assumptions and External Factors
The national logic model relies on these assumptions and external factors.
• Arts, community, and military organizations will invest in partnerships.
• Grant recipients and their partners will form a learning community.
• Military-connected populations have an interest in and will benefit from community arts
engagement.

Creative Force Community Engagement
Grantee Logic Model

National grant program goal
The Creative Forces Community Engagement grant program aims to improve the health, well-being,
and quality of life of military-connected people who have faced trauma. This is achieved through arts
engagement activities that foster creativity, build social connections, improve resilience, and help
smooth the transition to civilian life.
Grantee project goals
Grant recipients strive to achieve similar goals by:
• encouraging creative expression,
• enhancing social connections,
• increasing resilience, and
• supporting independence and successful adaptation to civilian life.
Project inputs, activities, and outputs
The inputs, activities, and outputs vary depending on the grantee organization’s capabilities,
resources, and implementation strategies.
Inputs
Project inputs are the raw materials or ingredients a grant recipient uses to make an arts project
happen. Inputs may include:
• funding
• project plans
• existing resources (e.g., teaching artists, workshop facilities, and partnerships)
• established arts programs for military-connected populations
• understanding of military culture
Activities
Project activities are those that engage military-connected individuals in art or art-making
experiences. Activities might involve:
• military/veteran, family, and caregiver support
• apprenticeship/internship/residency
• arts instruction
• creation of a work of art
• concert/performance or exhibition
• recording/filming/taping
• in-person or virtual classes
• “drop-in” style programs
• participant performance or exhibition
• community or network building
• single events
Outputs
Project outputs are the direct results of grant-supported activities, such as the art workshops an
organization produces or the partnerships an organization creates. Outputs can include:
• arts engagement activities
• participant reach
• partnership development
• grantee capacity-building

community awareness
data collection and reporting
Outcomes
Project outcomes are the changes that result from the Creative Forces Community Engagement grant
project. This logic model includes both participant outcomes and organizational outcomes.
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Participant outcomes include:
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Enhanced creative expression: Participants gain self-awareness through arts engagement.
Increased social connectedness: Participants form supportive relationships and feel part of a
community.
Improved resilience: Participants are better equipped to recover from stress and challenges.
Independence and successful adaption to civilian life: Participants have a sense of purpose
and positive self-worth that helps them adapt and adjust to civilian life.

*Grantees and partners design their programs around the specific needs of their communities. As
a result, they might only focus on two or three of these outcomes.
Organizational outcomes include:
•
Becoming a networked organization: Grant recipients partner with other organizations—
such as veteran or military-serving organizations, military clinics, arts organizations, or social
service organizations—to strengthen their programs for military-connected populations.
• Strengthening capacity: Grant recipients can increase their organizational capacity to design,
deliver, evaluate, and sustain programs to support military-connected populations through
the arts. This includes increasing the military cultural competency of the organization and its
staff.
• Increasing the value of the arts: Grant projects can increase understanding for grant
recipients, partners, networks, and local communities of how arts engagement can benefit
military-connected populations.
These organizational outcomes support participant outcomes by building the infrastructure,
knowledge, and skills needed for long-term success.
Rationale
• There is a need for projects that improve the health and well-being of military-connected
populations. Community arts projects can play a vital role in addressing these needs by offering
opportunities for creative expression, social connection, successful transitioning to civilian life,
and resilience.
• Local projects are best suited to meet the specific needs of their communities.
• Partnerships among stakeholders, project participants, arts organizations, and militaryconnected providers enhance the quality of art-making experiences. Partnerships also make it
easier to develop culturally aware programming.
Assumptions and External Factors
This logic model relies on these assumptions and external factors:
• Community arts programs can be therapeutic but are not meant to serve or be understood as
clinical treatment or therapy.
• Participants join community arts activities for various reasons. These include a desire to
socialize, build community, express themselves, and improve their artistic skills.
• Participants bring their own assets and strengths to these projects.
• A strengths-based approach benefits all participants.
• Consistent participation leads to more significant benefits than attending single events.

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External factors such as geographic accessibility, economic conditions, and technological
barriers can influence the design, implementation, and outcomes of community arts projects for
military populations.