Definition
Inputs are the resources a program invests to operate: staff time, funding, vehicles, office space, equipment, volunteers, partner organizations, and any other human, material, or financial resources. Inputs are the starting point in any results chain. They answer the question: "What do we need to have or invest to run this program?"
Why It Matters
Being clear about inputs forces you to think realistically about what your program requires. If you underestimate input needs, the program will struggle or fail. If you're vague about inputs, it's hard to understand why activities succeed or fail. In logframes, inputs sit at the foundation of the causal logic: adequate inputs plus activities should produce outputs. Many programs confuse inputs with activities (they are not the same thing). Clarity here helps with budgeting, resource planning, and explaining to donors why you need the money you're requesting.
In Practice
When developing a logframe, you list inputs at the bottom. For example: "Two full-time health workers, 2,000 dollars for training materials, one vehicle." You then ask: "If we have these inputs and we do these activities, will we get those outputs?" This causal logic is the backbone of the logframe. It also helps with troubleshooting. If an activity fails, one question is: "Did we actually have the inputs we planned for?" If the answer is no, that explains the failure. Some programs track input assumptions (e.g., "funding arrives on time") as critical assumptions to monitor.
Related Topics
- Activity: what the program does with its inputs
- Output: what results directly from activities
- Logframe: the framework that links inputs to activities to outcomes
- Results Framework: broader approach to mapping inputs through impact