Coached Program: Theory of Change: From Activities to Impact: 18 November - 16 December 2025
Map clear pathways connecting activities to measurable outcomes that satisfy donor requirements and guide implementation.
Enroll NowCoached Online Learning Program
- Format: 5 Coached live sessions plus self-study
- Dates: 18 November - 16 December 2025
- Live Sessions: Tuesdays at 10:00-11:30 UTC
- Time Commitment: 4-5 hours per week over 5 weeks
- Investment: $495 (or $395 for limited budgets)
What's Your Theory of Change?
Proposals fail when donors can't follow your logic. More and more are asking this question—and too many organizations struggle to answer it convincingly. In humanitarian and development work, traditional planning tools alone aren't always enough. Donors want to see your deeper thinking: the assumptions behind your logic and exactly how change happens in your context. Without a rigorous Theory of Change, organizations face:
- Rejected proposals when donors can't follow your logic from activities to impact
- Projects built on flawed assumptions about how change happens
- Wasted efforts implementing activities that don't create transformation
- Teams working hard without understanding how their efforts combine
- Missing what actually drives change in your specific context
- Reduced community impact when interventions don't align with local realities
This practical training introduces a more strategic and deliberate way of planning for change. You'll work backwards from your desired impact, surface hidden assumptions, and build theories that satisfy donors while guiding implementation. Through Theory of Change development, you can:
- Answer "What's your theory of change?" with confidence and clarity
- Work backwards from desired impact to design what's actually needed
- Question and validate assumptions at every level of your design
- Create and present compelling causal pathways that donors understand
- Align teams for greater impact
What You'll Learn
Week 1: Foundations of Theory of Change
Master the core concepts of Theory of Change and learn to work backwards from impact to activities. Surface and address assumptions, map causal pathways, and understand the critical difference between goals, outcomes, and impact.
Week 2: Theory of Change in Practice
Build practical TOCs that integrate with project logic models and frameworks. Master stakeholder engagement for participatory TOC development, validate assumptions in real contexts, and clearly link activities through outputs and outcomes to impact.
Week 3: Addressing Complexity and Context
Navigate complex environments using systems thinking and participatory approaches. Address power dynamics, conduct contextual analysis, and build flexibility into your Theory of Change to adapt when contexts shift.
Week 4: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management
Design MEL frameworks based on Theory of Change principles. Collect data to measure progress along your causal pathways, implement adaptive management for course correction, and learn from best practices across sectors.
Week 5: Consolidation and Application
Integrate all elements to create your own comprehensive Theory of Change. In the final meeting, we consolidate learning and develop action plans. You then have one week to submit your TOC for personalized feedback.
How You'll Learn: Coached Interactive Workshops
Small-group coaching sessions where you work directly with an expert to develop your actual Theory of Change—not just theory, but hands-on practice with your real projects.
What makes this different:
- Active problem-solving - Work through your specific TOC challenges with expert guidance, not generic examples
- Maximum 8 participants - Get personalized attention and learn from peers facing similar challenges
- Build as you learn - Create your Theory of Change during sessions, not afterwards
- Immediate application - Everything you develop can be used in your work right away
Program Structure:
- 90-minute weekly live workshops
- Self-paced materials between sessions (videos, templates, tools)
- Submit your Theory of Change for personalized video feedback
- Ongoing support through the Impact Community
Impact Stories
9.3/10 Rating (based on 57 reviews)
"A systematic approach that works. We just submitted a proposal to USAID and they specifically praised our Theory of Change section. First time in 8 years we got approved without revisions."
— Patricia Nkomo, Program Director, Health Alliance Zimbabwe
"I took several courses on the Theory of Change, but Neil's teaching approach is practical, elaborative, and comprehensive."
— Mir Ahmed
"It thoroughly covers Theory of Change practices and effectively addresses complexity and context-specific factors with practical examples."
— Vamathevan Valavan, Sri Lanka
Who This Is For
This training is for people working in relief, development, or humanitarian contexts who need to map out exactly how their work leads to real change. It's ideal for:
- Project planners connecting activities to outcomes with structured tools
- M&E professionals clarifying and measuring community impact
- Program managers communicating project logic to donors and communities
- Proposal writers strengthening their projects' theoretical foundations
- Field staff building participatory TOC frameworks for local ownership
- Anyone who needs to explain how their work creates change
No prior formal training needed—the course delivers clear, practical guidance for newcomers while providing strategic insights and advanced applications for seasoned practitioners.
Your Instructor
With over 25 years of expertise, Neil Kendrick, founder of ELD Impact, specializes in Professional Writing, Reporting Skills, Proposal Writing, Results-Based Management, and Monitoring & Evaluation. Originally from the UK and now based in Turkey, Neil has trained and coached humanitarian and development professionals across more than 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Regularly praised for his ability to demystify complex topics, Neil makes challenging concepts accessible to practitioners at any level - from field staff in rural NGOs to program managers in multilateral organizations.
Course Details
Start: 18 November 2025
Duration: 5 weeks (4-5 hours per week: 90-minute live session + 3 hours self-study)
Investment: $495 (or $395 for limited budgets)
Group Size: Maximum 8 participants
Includes:
- Lifetime access to all course materials (videos, handouts, templates, transcripts)
- Five 90-minute live coaching sessions with expert facilitator
- Personalized video feedback on your assignment (72-hour turnaround)
- End-of-module assessments
- Certificate of completion and letter of achievement
- Post-training access to Theory of Change Impact Community
Payment Options: To enroll, pay by credit card below. Choose the standard fee or reduced fee based on your budget.
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