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research dossier

MDRC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 237379473 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE J200 · Employment · Very Large (>$50M) · mdrc.org
revenue
$89.3M
expenses
$93.9M
net assets
$92.0M
employees
361
volunteers
17
program ratio
81%
mission · from form 990

MDRC IS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE WELL-BEING OF LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. (SEE SCHEDULE O) THROUGH OUR RESEARCH, WE SEEK TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL POLICIES & PROGRAMS THAT AFFECT THE POOR.

profile · synthesized from sources

MDRC is a research organization dedicated to improving the well-being of low-income people by enhancing the effectiveness of social policies and programs. It conducts rigorous evaluations of interventions in areas such as education, employment, criminal justice, and economic mobility. The organization focuses on generating evidence to inform policy and practice, particularly for populations facing barriers to employment and upward mobility.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $16.90M
    FAMILY WELL-BEING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENTFOR DECADES, MDRC HAS BEEN A LEADER IN DEVELOPING AND STUDYING INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN LIVING IN FAMILIES WITH LOW INCOMES. OUR CURRENT WORK IN THIS AREA FOCUSES ON TWO MAIN DOMAINS: EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION (ECE) SYSTEMS AND FAMILY-FOCUSED SERVICE SYSTEMS. IN EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION, WE'VE WORKED WITH PRACTITIONERS TO DEVELOP AND TEST INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE CLASSROOM QUALITY, CURRICULUM AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MATH INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS, EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENTS, AND P-3 ALIGNMENTAS WELL AS STUDIED WAYS TO SUPPORT AND BUILD THE ECE WORKFORCE. (SEE SCHEDULE O)FAMILY WELL-BEING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUED):IN FAMILY-FOCUSED SERVICES, MDRC HAS BEEN EVALUATING VARIOUS HOME VISITING MODELS AND HAS BEEN A LEADER IN COCREATING AND STUDYING SERVICES IN FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS.
  2. #2 $13.35M
    K-12 EDUCATIONFOR 25 YEARS, MDRC HAS BEEN LEARNING WHAT MAY BE MOST EFFECTIVE TO RAISE THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK OF FAILING. WE COLLABORATE WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS, CHARTER ORGANIZATIONS, AND NATIONAL NONPROFITS TO EVALUATE THEIR PROGRAMS AND TO USE THAT INFORMATION TO HELP THEM DEVELOP EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES FOR CONTINUOUS PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.
named programs · 8 · from sources

What they call their work

Economic Mobility, Housing, and Communities
Studies place-based strategies, housing policies, and initiatives to improve economic outcomes in low-income communities.
Family Well-Being and Child Development
Evaluates early care and education systems and family-focused services, including home visiting models and fatherhood programs.
High-Dosage Tutoring
Studies 25 tutoring models, including Saga Education’s live-online math tutoring, to assess impact on student outcomes.
K-12 Education
Partners with school systems and nonprofits to evaluate programs aimed at improving academic achievement for at-risk students.
STARI (Supporting Teaching of Algebraic Reasoning in Middle School)
Implements and evaluates a yearlong reading intervention for middle school students.
SkillUp AI
Evaluates an AI chatbot designed to support job seekers through career advising and coaching.
State IMPACT Collaborative
Helps state agencies use data to answer policy questions, assess programs, and expand economic opportunity.
Youth Development, Criminal Justice, and Employment
Tests tailored interventions for disconnected youth, people at risk of incarceration, returning citizens, and individuals with disabilities.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Program Evaluation and Impact Research 1 activity
    • Conducts rigorous evaluations of social programs to reduce inequities and improve outcomes for people with low incomes
      Designs and carries out independent, methodologically rigorous research studies on programs and policies affecting people with low incomes, including impact, implementation, and cost analyses across domains such as education, criminal justice, housing, and job training. Projects span multiyear evaluations, pilot studies, and applied data analytics to inform policy and practice.
  • Cancer Research Funding 1 activity
    • Funds research and program development through public and private grants
      Secures and manages funding from a diverse portfolio of public and private funders to support its research, evaluation, and technical assistance initiatives.
  • Nonprofit Internship Programs 1 activity
    • Offers internships and fellowships to build research capacity among students
      Provides paid internships for undergraduate and master's students and doctoral fellowships for dissertation research, integrating participants into MDRC’s intellectual community through seminars, project meetings, skills training, and required presentations summarizing their experience.
  • Data & Technology Capacity Building 1 activity
    • Provides technical assistance and capacity building to programs and policymakers
      Supports programs through technical assistance including process mapping, data visualization, outreach material redesign, and implementation improvements. Offers training in data analysis tools (e.g., SQL, R) and strengthens collaboration between policy and data staff to improve program effectiveness.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Develops and disseminates research tools, methodologies, and public use data files
      Creates new evaluation methodologies, data analysis tools, and public use data files to advance research capacity in the social policy field. Includes developing theoretically motivated measures, such as metadata from technology-based assessments to evaluate young children's executive functioning skills, and producing guidance on the use of AI tools in career advising.
    • Produces and publishes research summaries, state profiles, and implementation guidance
      Disseminates findings through accessible formats including two-page program summaries, state policy profiles, and practical guidance documents for practitioners and policymakers. Examples include documentation of high-dosage tutoring programs, sector-based training supports for returning citizens, and customized employment services for youth.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$89.34M
Contributions & grants$83.67M94%
Program service revenue$879K1%
Investment income$4.79M5%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$93.93M
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$47.99M
Grants paid out$720K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$157.20M
Cash$33.42M
Investments$72.15M
Liabilities$65.18M
Net assets$92.03M
Liquid reserves13.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +6.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 10
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
VIRGINIA W KNOX PRESIDENT 40 $710K
JESUS M AMADEO SR. VICE PRESIDENT & CFO 40 $561K
DAN J BLOOM - SR VICE PRES DIR., POLICY, RESEARCH & E 40 $395K
PATRICIA WEISS HR DIRECTOR 40 $322K
JAMES A RICCIO PRINCIPAL RESEARCH FELLOW 40 $318K
JOHN HUTCHINS CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFIC 40 $314K
CHARLES MICHALOPOULOS CHIEF ECONOMIST 40 $312K
JOHN MARTINEZ VICE PRESIDENT & DIR. PROG 40 $302K
ROSE KOB VICE PRESIDENT & GEN COUNSEL 40 $287K
KATE GUALTIERI CHIEF OF STAFF 40 $272K
board members · 15
  • AOIFINN DEVITT — DIRECTOR
  • BRIDGET TERRY LONG — DIRECTOR/CHAIR
  • CANDICE C JONES — DIRECTOR (BEG 07/24)
  • CYNTHIA OSBORNE — DIRECTOR (BEG 09/24)
  • ELOY ORTIZ OAKLEY — DIRECTOR
  • HILARY HOYNES — DIRECTOR
  • JOHN B KING JR — DIRECTOR
  • JOSH B MCGEE — DIRECTOR
  • LAWRENCE KATZ — DIRECTOR
  • MELISSA S KEARNEY — DIRECTOR
  • MICHAEL ROSTER — DIRECTOR
  • MILTON J LITTLE JR — DIRECTOR AND TREASURER
  • NAOMI GOLDSTEIN — DIRECTOR
  • RASHMITA MISTRY — DIRECTOR
  • RICHARD J MURNANE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 67

Who they work with

  • American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Partner — Union representing MDRC staff through the Social Policy Workers United (SPWU) local, formed in 2021 to support workplace transparency, accountability, fairness, and diversity.
  • Arnold Ventures Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Ascendium Education Group, Inc. Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Bloomberg Philanthropies Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Blue Meridian Partners Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Brotherhood Crusade Partner — Partner organization whose customized employment program for youth was studied and published by MDRC.
  • Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) Partner — Collaborates with BEES on research to improve recruitment methods for employment programs.
  • Carnegie Corporation of New York Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • City government Government — Source of contracts and funding for MDRC's research initiatives.
  • Coleridge Partner — Co-leads the State IMPACT Collaborative with MDRC to support state agencies in using data for policy improvement.
  • Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Corporations Funder — Source of funding for MDRC's research initiatives.
  • Department of Human Services (Pennsylvania) Partner — Collaborates with MDRC through the State IMPACT Collaborative to improve cross-agency data use and program effectiveness.
  • Department of Labor & Industry (Pennsylvania) Partner — Collaborates with MDRC through the State IMPACT Collaborative to strengthen workforce development and data integration.
  • Edna McConnell Clark Foundation Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Federal government Government — Source of contracts and funding for MDRC's research initiatives.
  • Ford Foundation Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Foundations Funder — Source of funding for MDRC's research initiatives.
  • Google Partner — Partnered on the evaluation of the Google Career Certificates Fund initiative.
  • Google Career Certificates Fund Funder — Funder of an initiative currently being evaluated by MDRC.
  • Google Career Certificates Fund Partner — Partner in the evaluation of the Google Career Certificates Fund.
  • Governor’s Policy Office (Pennsylvania) Partner — Engages with MDRC through the State IMPACT Collaborative to support data-informed policy development.
  • Individuals Funder — Source of funding for MDRC's research initiatives.
  • John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development initiatives.
  • Johns Hopkins University Partner — Collaborates with MDRC on research and program evaluation initiatives.
  • LA LGBT Center Partner — Partner organization whose customized employment program for youth was studied and published by MDRC.
  • Lumina Foundation Funder — Supports MDRC's research and program development in postsecondary education.
  • Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity Government — Supporting city office for the Advance & Earn program, which MDRC studied in partnership with city agencies.
  • Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) Government — Collaborates with MDRC on poverty reduction and economic mobility initiatives in New York City.
+ 37 more
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Data-Driven Systems Collaboration for Scaling Impact
    methodology: data_driven_systems_collaboration
    By institutionalizing cross-agency data collaboration and building analytical capacity with partners, we enable sustainable scaling of effective programs, because shared data infrastructure and interagency alignment allow for continuous improvement and broader reach.
  • Evidence-Based Policy through Rigorous Evaluation
    methodology: evidence_based_policy_evaluation
    By applying rigorous experimental evaluation methods modeled on clinical trials, we produce credible evidence on what works in social programs, because this approach isolates causal impacts and informs effective public policy.
  • Evidence-to-Practice Technical Assistance Model
    methodology: evidence_to_practice_model
    By translating research findings into actionable guidance and providing hands-on support, we strengthen program implementation and data use, because bridging the gap between evidence generation and frontline practice increases adoption and effectiveness of proven interventions.
  • Practice-Integrated Research and Co-Creation
    methodology: practice_informed_research
    By cocreating research and interventions with practitioners and affected individuals, we improve program effectiveness, because integrating frontline experience and participant input ensures relevance, feasibility, and responsiveness to real-world conditions.