MDRC is a research and advocacy organization that is dedicated to addressing poverty and the left-of-center concept of “inequity” in the United States. 1
MDRC also works directly with nonprofit programs, politicians, and government agencies by investigating their returns and recommending corrective measures to improve their efficiency. 1
According to its website, MDRC has programs dedicated to early childhood, K-12 education, postsecondary education, young people, income and family support, employment and economic mobility, housing and communities, and criminal justice. 2
Background
MDRC was founded in 1974 as a research and advocacy organization that claims to address poverty and the left-of-center concept of “inequity” in the United States. MDRC also works directly with nonprofit programs, politicians, and government agencies by investigating their returns and recommending corrective measures to improve their efficiency. 1
Activities
According to its website, MDRC has programs dedicated to early childhood, K-12 education, postsecondary education, young people, income and family support, employment and economic mobility, housing and communities, and criminal justice. 2
In 2023, MDRC reported that it was subcontracting research to ABT Associates ($2,902,016), MEF Associates ($1,112,233), Houston Housing Authority ($1,027,617), Impact Behavioral Health Partners ($891,566), and National Opinion Research Center ($723,823). 3
Financials
In 2023, MDRC reported revenue of $83,947,862, expenses of $84,999,059, and net assets of $95,909,255. 4
Leadership
As of January 2025, Virginia Knox was serving as the president of MDRC, a position she has held since 2019. She previously worked as the vice president and leader of its families and children policy area. She previously worked as a special assistant to the executive deputy commissioner for income maintenance in New York City’s welfare system. 5
As of January 2025, MDRC’s board is made up of the following: professor of Education and Economics at Harvard University Bridget Terry Long, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Atlanta Milton J. Little Jr., partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Robert E. Denham, chief investment officer London LGPS CIV Aoifinn Devitt, former Deputy Assistant for Evaluation at the HHS Administration for Children and Families Naomi Goldstein, dean and professor of the School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University Susan T. Gooden, professor of Public Policy and Economics at University of California Berkeley Hilary Hoynes, president and CEO of Public Welfare Foundation Candice C. Jones, professor of Economics at Harvard University Lawrence F. Katz, professor of Economics at the University of Maryland Melissa Schettini Kearney, chancellor at the State University of New York (SUNY) John B. King Jr., associate professor & endowed chair in Education at the University of Arkansas Josh B. McGee, professor of Education at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Rashmita S. Mistry, president and CEO of the College Futures Foundation Eloy Ortiz Oakley, professor of Early Childhood Education and Policy at Vanderbilt University Cynthia Osborne, former General Counsel at Stanford University and Stanford Medical Center Michael Roster, and professor of Public Policy and Management at Harvard University Mary Jo Bane. 6
One of MDRC’s former board members, Cecilia Elena Rouse, went on to serve as the chair of the Biden White House’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and, as of January 2025, was the president of the Brookings Institution. 7
Mackenzie Scott and Dan Jewett made an unrestricted grant of $15 million to MDRC, an intermediary organization bringing together public and private funders to test new policy-relevant ideas, and communicate what is learned to policymakers and practitioners. This grant is part of the $2,739,000,000 in gifts to 286 high-impact organizations in categories and communities that have been historically underfunded and overlooked, and social sector infrastructure organizations that support them.
$10,577,200
2024
Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
This grant supports MDRC in implementing a grantmaking initiative to build evidence on nonprofit-led sectoral training programs. The initiative will focus on identifying program elements and mechanisms needed to deliver and scale effective programs.
This grant supports MDRC in conducting in depth research in partnership with postsecondary and workforce training practitioners and policymakers to identify best practices, effective program components, and overall strategies that improve economic mobility for learners from low-income backgrounds.
$7,500,000
2022
Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
This grant supports MDRC in engaging in a continuous cycle of rigorous research, active dissemination and hands-on technical assistance that builds the capacity of colleges and workforce training providers to improve outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds.
$7,363,369
2024
Ascendium Education Solutions Inc
Grant, Strengthen and Scale Multiple Measures Assessment Implementation Grant, Examining Faculty Decision-Making in Course Equivalency and Transfer Grant, Learning Partner for Future Sectoral Training Evidence-Building Initiative Grant, Travel Grant – National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students Grant, Sectoral Training Evidence-Building Initiative Grant, Building & Applying Strong Evidence About Postsecondary Success & Economic Mobility
TO SUPPORT GRANTEE TO DEVELOP AND ADVANCE MULTIPLE STRATEGIES TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE ITS ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT IN AREAS INCLUDING: (I) STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ITS RESEARCH AND POLICYMAKERS; (II) BUILDING A MORE RIGOROUS APPROACH TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; (III) ADVANCING ITS LEADERSHIP ON THE USE OF NEW EVALUATION METHODOLOGIES AND DATA; AND (IV) LEVERAGING DATA EFFICIENTLY FOR EVALUATION, DECISION-MAKING, AND PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.
Grant, Capitalizing on Federal Momentum to Advance Postsecondary Student Success Grant, On the Path to a Degree (OnPath) Grant, Strengthen and Scale Multiple Measures Assessment Implementation Grant, Building & Applying Strong Evidence About Postsecondary Success & Economic Mobility
To support MDRC’S capacity-building efforts in three key areas: to continue to grow our infrastructure/technology capabilities; to seed new projects to ensure a robust program development pipeline; and to support MDRC'S efforts to make our evidence actionable.
To evaluate new economic-mobility models in Chicago/Cook County, Milwaukee, and ST. Louis as a way to address housing and income segregation.
$2,300,000
2020
Ascendium Education Group, Inc.
This grant supports MDRC, in partnership with the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, to expand the adoption of multiple measures assessment systems for student placement in math and English.
To evaluate the work of Ready for School, Ready for Life in 2024
$1,648,674
2020
Ascendium Education Solutions Inc
Rural Matters Podcast, Strengthen and Scale Multiple Measures Assessment Implementation, Applying the Evidence: Expanding Evidence-Based Strategies Across the Minnesota State System, Multiple Measures Assessment Phase II, Piloting an Income Share Agreement that Serves Low-Income Students
TO ADVANCE EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO GENERATE SUSTAINABLE, MEASURABLE CHANGE ACROSS SEVERAL GRANTEE DIVISIONS.
TO ADVANCE EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO GENERATE SUSTAINABLE, MEASURABLE CHANGE ACROSS SEVERAL GRANTEE DIVISIONS.
$1,500,000
2021
Strada Education Foundation
OPERATING GRANT
All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:
Total Grant Value:$31,833,104
Number of Grants:385
Number of Recipients:232
Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:
