Guidance and resources

Core Theory of Change

TASO’s Core Theory of Change template and pre-populated templates from some of our recent evaluations.

A Core Theory of Change provides a high-level overview of an intervention and the change it intends to achieve. It serves as a concise elevator pitch, making it easy to explain an intervention and its impact to stakeholders. The Core Theory of Change includes the following sections:

Problem statement: the specific issue or inequality that the intervention is aiming to address.
Inputs: the resources that are available or required to carry out the activities as intended.
Activities: the specific actions or activities that will be delivered through the intervention, and their outputs.
Outcomes: the changes you hope or expect to see as a result of the activities, including changes in behaviour, attitudes, skills, engagement, or attainment.
Impacts: the long-term goal or systemic change you are hoping to bring about, or contribute to, through your intervention.
Causal pathways: the logical steps from activities to impact that explicitly describe how you expect change to come about through the intervention.
Moderating factors: the contextual factors that influence when, for whom, and under what conditions the activity will succeed.

The Core Theory of Change is presented as a simple diagram. We recommend that those new to theory of change start by creating a Core Theory of Change, which they can then further develop into an Enhanced Theory of Change.