MDRC

MDRC
Name	MDRC
Formation	1974
Type	Nonprofit research organization
Headquarters	New York City
Region served	United States
Leader title	President
Leader name	Robert Doar

MDRC

MDRC is an American nonprofit social policy research organization that designs, evaluates, and helps implement programs intended to improve outcomes in areas such as employment, welfare, child well‑being, and postsecondary education. Founded in the 1970s, MDRC has conducted randomized controlled trials, quasi‑experimental studies, and implementation research with federal agencies, state governments, foundations, and universities. Staff collaborate with policymakers, practitioners, and scholars to translate evidence into practice and scale programs across city, state, and national contexts.

History

MDRC was established in 1974 during a period of policy experimentation involving the War on Poverty, the Family Assistance Plan, and shifts in federal social programs under the Nixon administration. In the 1970s and 1980s, the organization carried out evaluations connected to initiatives like the Supplemental Security Income adjustments, workforce development pilots tied to the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation era, and projects responding to the political dynamics around the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act debates. During the 1990s, MDRC expanded work linked to the TANF landscape, collaborations with the U.S. Department of Education, and studies relevant to the Goals 2000 framework. The 2000s saw MDRC engage with initiatives associated with the No Child Left Behind Act, the Higher Education Act, and post‑recession workforce interventions stimulated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In the 2010s and 2020s, MDRC developed projects aligning with policy priorities under administrations like Barack Obama and Donald Trump, while interfacing with philanthropic actors connected to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Mission and Programs

MDRC's mission emphasizes rigorous evidence to improve outcomes in areas linked to families, schools, and neighborhoods. Program areas often intersect with initiatives like Head Start, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and Pell Grant-related postsecondary supports. Projects target populations served by institutions such as community colleges, child welfare agencies, and local housing authorities. MDRC develops models for career pathways in partnership with entities including community-based organizations, city mayors' offices—for example collaborations comparable to efforts in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago—and works with higher education partners such as CUNY, California Community Colleges, and Texas A&M University systems. The organization also advances programs connected to early childhood efforts exemplified by Early Head Start and K–12 improvement efforts reflecting concerns addressed by the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Research Methods and Evaluation

MDRC is widely known for employing randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi‑experimental designs, cost‑benefit analyses, and implementation studies. Their methodological work engages with standards from institutions like the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and guidance used by the U.S. Department of Labor and Institute of Education Sciences. MDRC's evaluations often involve data systems linked to administrative records from agencies such as the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service, as well as education data drawn from the National Student Clearinghouse and state longitudinal data systems used in places like Florida and Texas. The organization has contributed to methodological literature alongside scholars from Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Chicago, Columbia University, and the University of Michigan.

Major Projects and Impact

Major MDRC projects have included large multisite demonstrations related to job training, welfare reform, postsecondary remediation, and youth employment. Notable demonstrations have evaluated interventions akin to the Year Up model, accelerated learning strategies seen in collaborations with EDUCAUSE partners, and sectoral training initiatives operating in regions such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Impact assessments have influenced policy decisions at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, shaped state workforce investments in places like California and New Jersey, and informed philanthropic strategies used by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. MDRC findings have been cited in Congressional hearings and used by officials in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives to debate funding for employment and education programs.

Funding and Partnerships

MDRC's funding portfolio combines grants and contracts from federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Labor, and Administration for Children and Families, state governments, private foundations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and corporate and university partners. Research partnerships frequently involve collaborations with institutions like Princeton University, New York University, University of California, and municipal entities including the New York City Department of Education and local workforce boards. MDRC also partners with intermediaries and consortia such as Jobs for the Future, National League of Cities, and Urban Institute on cross‑cutting initiatives.

Organization and Leadership

MDRC operates out of offices in New York City, with additional regional presence and project staff across the United States. Leadership has included presidents and senior fellows who previously worked in academic and policy institutions such as Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, Columbia University, and Princeton University. Current and past leaders have engaged with advisory boards comprising members from institutions like Harvard Kennedy School, Yale University, Johns Hopkins University, and major philanthropic organizations including the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The organization employs researchers, evaluators, policy analysts, and implementation specialists who publish in outlets and outlets linked to American Economic Association meetings, education conferences such as AERA, and workforce forums convened by the National Governors Association.

Category:Nonprofit organizations based in New York City