Examples - Build a Logical Framework (Logframe) for Your Project

Example Purpose

This complete case study demonstrates how systematic Module 1 foundation work translates into a professionally-rigorous, community-grounded Logical Framework ready for implementation.

Project Context

Nigeria Youth Livelihood Initiative

Geographic Focus: Three rural communities in Enugu State, Southeastern Nigeria

Target Population: Unemployed youth aged 18-25 (300 participants, 60% female)

Core Problem: High youth unemployment (45% baseline) perpetuating poverty cycles

Project Duration: 24 months

Key Innovation: Community-defined livelihood pathways (wage employment, self-employment, apprenticeships) rather than single employment model

Module 1 Foundation Summary

This Logframe builds on systematic foundation work completed in Module 1:

Lesson 1.1: Problem Tree

Root Cause (E): Skills training disconnected from employer needs
Root Cause (E): Limited local job opportunities for trained youth
Root Cause (A): Youth lack access to startup capital for self-employment

Lesson 1.2: Stakeholders

Primary: Unemployed youth (direct beneficiaries)
Secondary: Local employers, Chamber of Commerce, vocational training institutes
Key Insight: Employers willing to partner if graduates meet quality standards

Lesson 1.3: Affinity Synthesis

Theme 1: "Employment" must include self-employment and informal sector work
Theme 2: Holistic support needed (psychosocial, mentorship, not just technical skills)
Theme 3: Culturally-appropriate training delivery essential

Lesson 1.4: Theory of Change

Impact: Youth achieve economic independence and community prosperity
Key Assumption: Sufficient livelihood opportunities exist for graduates
Community Validation: 73% stakeholder endorsement of change logic

Complete Logical Framework Matrix

Narrative Summary	Objectively Verifiable Indicators	Means of Verification	Important Assumptions
GOAL Youth aged 18-25 in target communities achieve sustained economic independence through diverse livelihood pathways, contributing to household and community prosperity	Youth unemployment rate in target communities decreases from 45% baseline to 35% by project end (contributing to national goal of 25% by 2030) Average youth household income increases by 40% within 12 months post-completion	Community household surveys (baseline, endline, 12-month follow-up) Local government employment records National labor force statistics	Economic conditions don't deteriorate beyond community coping capacity; Local government maintains support for youth employment initiatives
PURPOSE Program graduates secure and maintain sustainable livelihoods meeting locally-defined living wage standards	Quantitative: At least 70% of program graduates secure sustainable livelihoods (wage employment, self-employment, or apprenticeship) earning above locally-defined living wage within 6 months of completion Qualitative: Employers and community leaders report increased confidence in local youth capabilities and increased willingness to invest in youth employment	Graduate follow-up surveys at 3 and 6 months Employer verification interviews (leveraging Chamber of Commerce relationship) Community leader focus group discussions	Sufficient livelihood opportunities exist in target area (at least 500 relevant openings monthly); Employers willing to hire locally-trained workers meeting quality standards
OUTPUT 1 300 young adults (60% female, 40% from marginalized groups) complete market-responsive skills training meeting employer-validated competency standards and community-defined quality criteria	300 youth complete 6-month training by project month 18 (disaggregated by gender, marginalized status) At least 80% of graduates achieve competency certification validated by employer panel 85% of participants rate training as culturally appropriate and high quality	Program attendance records with demographic data Competency assessment results from employer panel Participant satisfaction surveys (exit and 3-month follow-up)	At least 70% of recruited youth complete full program (attendance >80%); Qualified instructors meeting both technical and community mentorship standards available
OUTPUT 2 Employer partnerships established facilitating graduate placement in wage employment, self-employment support, and apprenticeship opportunities	At least 25 employers signed formal partnership agreements by project month 12 Partners collectively offer minimum 250 placement opportunities (wage jobs, self-employment mentorship, apprenticeships) 75% of employer partners report satisfaction with graduate performance	Partnership MOUs and agreements Employer partner surveys tracking opportunities and placement outcomes Quarterly employer satisfaction assessments	Employers maintain willingness to partner and invest time in graduate placement; Economic conditions support employer capacity to create new positions
ACTIVITIES (Output 1) Conduct employer needs assessment using Chamber of Commerce networks (addresses root cause: skills-market disconnect) Develop culturally-appropriate curriculum with youth advisory board input (addresses affinity theme: cultural relevance) Recruit qualified instructors meeting technical and mentorship standards Implement training with peer mentoring and psychosocial support (addresses affinity theme: holistic needs) Facilitate job placement through diverse livelihood pathways	Employer needs assessment completed by month 3 with input from 30+ employers Curriculum validated by employer panel and youth representatives by month 4 Training implementation maintains 85% participant satisfaction across all cohorts	Needs assessment report Curriculum validation documentation Monthly participant satisfaction tracking	Project implementation proceeds on schedule; Sufficient budget and resources available
ACTIVITIES (Output 2) Map employer landscape and recruitment priorities using stakeholder networks Negotiate partnership agreements with wage employers, microenterprise mentors, apprenticeship hosts Establish placement support system with CV development, interview preparation, entrepreneurship mentoring Monitor employer satisfaction and graduate performance Facilitate employer feedback loops to curriculum refinement	Employer landscape mapping completed by month 4 Partnership MOUs signed with 25+ employers by month 12 Placement support activities reach 100% of graduates	Employer mapping database Signed partnership agreements Placement support activity records	Project implementation proceeds on schedule; Sufficient budget and resources available

Integration Analysis: Module 1 to Logframe

This Logframe demonstrates systematic integration of all Module 1 foundation work:

Problem Tree Root Causes → Activity Design

Root Cause (E): "Skills training disconnected from employer needs"
→ Activity 1.1: "Conduct employer needs assessment using Chamber of Commerce networks"
Root Cause (E): "Limited local job opportunities"
→ Output 2 activities focus on creating partnerships offering diverse livelihood pathways (wage employment, self-employment, apprenticeships)
Root Cause (A): "Youth lack startup capital"
→ Activity 2.3: "Establish placement support system" includes entrepreneurship mentoring and microenterprise connections, with assumption monitoring to test if capital access is truly limiting factor

Stakeholder Mapping → Verification Methods

Chamber of Commerce (Secondary Stakeholder, High Power/High Interest)
→ Used for employer landscape mapping, needs assessment coordination, graduate placement verification
Youth Participants (Primary Stakeholders)
→ Youth advisory board validates curriculum; participant satisfaction surveys track quality; follow-up surveys measure livelihood outcomes
Employer Partners (Secondary Stakeholders)
→ Employer panel validates competency assessments; employer satisfaction surveys track partnership quality

Affinity Analysis Themes → Indicator Priorities

Theme: "Employment must include self-employment and informal sector"
→ Purpose indicator: "70% secure sustainable livelihoods (wage employment, self-employment, OR apprenticeship)"—not limited to formal wage jobs
Theme: "Holistic support needed (not just technical skills)"
→ Activity 1.4: "Implement training with peer mentoring and psychosocial support"; Quality indicator: "85% rate training as culturally appropriate"
Theme: "Culturally-appropriate delivery essential"
→ Activity 1.2: "Develop curriculum with youth advisory board input"; Output 1 indicator specifically measures cultural appropriateness ratings

Theory of Change Assumptions → Risk Management

Theory of Change Assumption: "Sufficient employment opportunities exist"
→ Purpose-level assumption: "Sufficient livelihood opportunities exist in target area (at least 500 relevant openings monthly)"
→ Monitoring: Monthly employer surveys tracking job posting trends
→ Mitigation: If <250 openings available, activate geographic expansion protocol and intensify self-employment track
Theory of Change Assumption: "Youth will complete training and seek employment"
→ Output 1 assumption: "At least 70% of recruited youth complete full program (attendance >80%)"
→ Monitoring: Weekly attendance tracking, exit interviews for dropouts
→ Mitigation: Peer mentoring system addresses barriers identified through participant feedback
Theory of Change Assumption: "Employers will hire locally-trained workers"
→ Purpose-level assumption: "Employers willing to hire locally-trained workers meeting quality standards"
→ Monitoring: Quarterly employer satisfaction surveys
→ Mitigation: Enhanced employer engagement in curriculum design ensures graduate skills meet employer needs

Professional Quality Demonstration

This Logframe meets professional standards while maintaining community authenticity:

Indicator Transformation: Generic to Community-Informed

graph LR
    %% ========================================
    %% GENERIC SIDE
    %% ========================================
    GENERIC_TITLE["❌ GENERIC INDICATORS<br/>(Weak)"]

    GEN1["Increased youth<br/>employment"]
    GEN2["Improved health<br/>knowledge"]
    GEN3["Strengthened<br/>organizations"]

    GEN_PROBLEM["⚠️ TOO VAGUE<br/>Not community-grounded<br/>Can't measure success"]

    %% ========================================
    %% TRANSFORMATION
    %% ========================================
    TRANSFORM["🔄 ADD COMMUNITY CONTEXT<br/>+ STAKEHOLDER PRIORITIES"]

    %% ========================================
    %% COMMUNITY-INFORMED SIDE
    %% ========================================
    COMMUNITY_TITLE["✅ COMMUNITY-INFORMED<br/>(Strong)"]

    COM1["70% of graduates aged 18-25<br/>secure employment above<br/>living wage within 6 months"]

    COM2["Target households adopt<br/>locally-appropriate health practices<br/>per community standards"]

    COM3["Partners complete<br/>self-identified capacity milestones<br/>with community validation"]

    COM_SUCCESS["✨ SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE<br/>Community-validated<br/>Fundable"]

    %% ========================================
    %% RELATIONSHIPS
    %% ========================================
    GENERIC_TITLE --> GEN1
    GENERIC_TITLE --> GEN2
    GENERIC_TITLE --> GEN3

    GEN1 --> GEN_PROBLEM
    GEN2 --> GEN_PROBLEM
    GEN3 --> GEN_PROBLEM

    GEN_PROBLEM --> TRANSFORM

    TRANSFORM --> COM1
    TRANSFORM --> COM2
    TRANSFORM --> COM3

    COM1 --> COM_SUCCESS
    COM2 --> COM_SUCCESS
    COM3 --> COM_SUCCESS

    COM_SUCCESS --> COMMUNITY_TITLE

    %% ========================================
    %% FESTA DESIGN SYSTEM COLORS
    %% ========================================

    %% Generic Title - Gray (weak starting point)
    style GENERIC_TITLE fill:#6B7280,stroke:#4B5563,stroke-width:3px,color:#fff,font-weight:bold

    %% Generic indicators - Lighter Gray
    style GEN1 fill:#D1D5DB,stroke:#6B7280,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style GEN2 fill:#D1D5DB,stroke:#6B7280,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style GEN3 fill:#D1D5DB,stroke:#6B7280,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937

    %% Generic problem - Chicken Comb (warning)
    style GEN_PROBLEM fill:#E12729,stroke:#B91C1C,stroke-width:3px,color:#fff,font-weight:bold

    %% Transformation - Pot of Gold (improvement)
    style TRANSFORM fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#D97706,stroke-width:3px,color:#1F2937,font-weight:bold

    %% Community indicators - Leaf
    style COM1 fill:#BEE7A0,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style COM2 fill:#BEE7A0,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style COM3 fill:#BEE7A0,stroke:#72B043,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937

    %% Community success - Pepper Green
    style COM_SUCCESS fill:#10B981,stroke:#059669,stroke-width:3px,color:#fff,font-weight:bold

    %% Community Title - Leaf (community-grounded)
    style COMMUNITY_TITLE fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:4px,color:#fff,font-weight:bold

Key Insight

Notice the transformation. Generic 'increased employment' becomes '70% of graduates aged 18-25 secure employment above locally-defined living wage within 6 months, validated through community follow-up.' The specificity comes from your stakeholder engagement: age range from demographics analysis, living wage from community priorities, 6-month timeframe from local context, validation method from existing relationships.

SMART Indicator Example Analysis

Purpose Indicator: "At least 70% of program graduates secure sustainable livelihoods (wage employment, self-employment, or apprenticeship) earning above locally-defined living wage within 6 months of completion"

SPECIFIC + Community Context: "70% of graduates" (who), "secure sustainable livelihoods" (what), "in target communities" (where)—livelihood definition reflects community emphasis on diverse pathways, not just formal employment

MEASURABLE + Community Values: Quantitative (70%) balanced with qualitative definition of "sustainable" (earning above living wage)—living wage defined by community, not external standard

ACHIEVABLE + Evidence-Based: 70% target based on similar program outcomes in comparable contexts; stakeholder feedback during validation confirmed this felt ambitious yet realistic

RELEVANT + Stakeholder-Validated: Directly addresses core problem (youth unemployment); aligns with community priority that success includes multiple livelihood pathways, not single employment model

TIME-BOUND + Realistic Timeframes: "Within 6 months of completion"—community insights revealed that job search typically takes 3-6 months; cultural consideration that some paths (apprenticeships) require longer relationship building

Logic Testing Results

Logic Test	Pass/Fail	Evidence
Vertical Logic	PASS	Activities → produce trained graduates + employer partnerships → achieve graduate employment → contribute to reduced youth unemployment. Each level logically necessitates and enables the next.
Horizontal Logic	PASS	Each objective has indicators that directly measure achievement. Tracking these indicators would definitively show if Goal/Purpose/Outputs/Activities were achieved.
Community Logic	PASS	Framework reflects community priorities (diverse livelihoods, holistic support, cultural appropriateness). Stakeholder validation: 89% recognized their input and endorsed final Logframe.
Implementation Logic	PASS	Activities are specific enough for detailed planning (Lesson 2.2). Verification methods are feasible within typical M&E budgets. Employer partnerships are realistic given stakeholder relationships established.

Implementation Readiness Bridge

This completed Logframe provides clear foundation for remaining Module 2 work:

For Lesson 2.2: Activity Design

Each activity (1.1-1.5, 2.1-2.5) can be broken into detailed tasks with timelines, responsibilities, and resource requirements. Example: Activity 1.1 "Conduct employer needs assessment" becomes 8-week work plan with survey development, stakeholder mobilization, data collection, analysis, validation workshop tasks.

For Lesson 2.3: Proposal Writing

Complete narrative emerges: "We conducted systematic Problem Tree analysis identifying three root causes (E). We engaged 47 stakeholders across primary/secondary/tertiary categories. We synthesized 156 community inputs through affinity analysis revealing three priority themes. We built Theory of Change validated by 73% of stakeholders. We operationalized this into Logical Framework maintaining community voice while adding professional precision."

For Lesson 2.4: Budget Estimation

Activity specifications have clear resource implications: Activity 1.3 "Recruit qualified instructors" requires budget lines for instructor salaries, Activity 2.3 "Establish placement support system" requires CV development materials, interview preparation workshops, entrepreneurship mentoring stipends. Verification methods specify M&E budget requirements: quarterly employer surveys, follow-up graduate tracking, community validation workshops.

Systematic Integration Demonstrated

This Nigeria Youth Livelihood Logframe shows how systematic Module 1 foundation work translates into competitive, implementable framework. Every element traces back to evidence-based analysis and community validation—not generic best practices.

Key Lessons from This Example

Integration is visible: Reviewers can see the connection from Problem Tree root causes to activities, stakeholder priorities to indicators, affinity themes to quality standards
Community voice is preserved: Language reflects stakeholder definitions ("sustainable livelihoods" vs. "employment," "locally-defined living wage" vs. external standards, "culturally appropriate" as quality measure)
Professional standards are met: SMART indicators, logical coherence, testable assumptions, feasible verification methods
Evidence-based confidence: (E) root causes inform activities with confidence; (A) assumptions trigger monitoring systems to test during implementation
Implementation readiness: Every activity can become a detailed work plan; every indicator has clear data collection method; every assumption has monitoring strategy

Your Turn

Use this example as a pattern for your own Logframe development:

Start with Module 1 foundation materials (don't skip the systematic work)
Map Theory of Change directly to Logframe levels (don't reinvent logic)
Let community priorities guide indicator selection (don't default to generic metrics)
Build verification on stakeholder relationships (don't extract data without reciprocity)
Validate complete framework with communities (don't assume you got it right alone)

Next Lesson Preview

In Lesson 2.2: Activity Design, you'll take this Nigeria Youth Livelihood Logframe and break each activity into detailed implementation plans with timelines, partnerships, resource requirements, and quality assurance protocols—all while maintaining the community-centered approach that makes this framework strong.

Complete Logframe Example