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Question:
What are the steps in the following: write "an assessment of the direct and indirect financial consequences for your proposed initiative".

Thank you,
Tracey K. Carr
Answer:

Hi Tracey,
Thank you for submitting your most excellent question to Ask an Advisor, I hope we can be of help.  Your question is not uncommon to those preparing funding applications and we've found that over the years funders really want you to carefully consider (i.e., assess) how you're spending their money so that you are maximizing the impact of your project or program (i.e., consequences) and they are maximizing the return on their investment.  Fair enough, we live in the age of accountability so it's to be expected.  That said, let's think about your question from the perspective of your program or project's logic model.  You've going to use funds to purchase resources (i.e., inputs such as an evidence-based curriculum, program dedicated staff, transportation, etc.), allowing you to carry out specific program/project activities (i.e., outputs) that will help you effect some sort of community change or improvement for your target population (i.e., outcomes). Purchasing these resources and then carrying out activities is a direct consequence of funding that can be tied directly to your program/project budget (i.e., financial resources -> inputs -> outputs -> outcomes).  Does that make sense?  I hope so.  Now, assessing the indirect financial consequences requires a bit more finesse and thought.  You might consider indirect consequenes as being unintended, things that your funding doesn't necessarily buy (in a manner of speaking).  For example, your program might leverage other community resources that have some sort of financial value.  These resources would be considered to be indirect financial consequences because you didn't use direct funds to "purchase" them, rather they were unintended, but have value.  Does that make sense?  I hope so.  If my answer is not clear let me point you to some outstanding resources we have here in the Community Tool Box.  Specifically, click on Learn a Skill (how-to information) in the upper left corner and click on the Table of Contents.  I think Chapter 31 - Section 6 including on-line resources (scroll down to the bottom of the page) "Tools and Resources for Assessing Social Impact"; Toolkit 10; Chapter 42 - Section 5; and Toolkit 14 will provide what you're looking for.  Thank you again for your question and we hope we've helped or at least pointed you in the right direction.
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Question Date: أربعاء, 04/06/2016