The purpose of this paper is to introduce the use of the Theory of Change approach for planning community-based initiatives. Through lessons learned from a case study of how TOC was applied during the planning phase of The Wallace Foundation Parents and Communities for Kids (PACK) initiative, the utility of this technique and the challenges involved in employing it are illustrated. The case study was designed to highlight lessons that will be of most interest to program planners, evaluators, and funders who are interested in applying this method to their work
