Founded in 1974, MDRC is committed to improving the lives of people with low incomes. We design promising new interventions, evaluate existing programs, and provide technical assistance to build better programs.
MDRC develops evidence about solutions to some of the nation’s most difficult problems. Explore our projects and variety of products, including publications, videos, podcast episodes, and resources for researchers and practitioners.
In 2024, MDRC posted more than 100 reports, briefs, practitioner guides, and other publications—offering research results, profiles of innovative programs, and evidence-backed advice for policymakers and practitioners. Here are 10 of the most popular.
Hosted by Leigh Parise, MDRC’s Evidence First podcast features experts talking about the best evidence available on education and social programs that serve people with low incomes.
Program Partners’ Views About Benefits, Challenges, and Opportunities
This report describes the implementation of an initiative that aims to support interconnected programs and services for young children and their families.
Exploring the Potential of Stress Management Workshops to Help Early Childhood Educators
Results of a study exploring the mental health, well-being, and perceptions of early care educators who participated in a series of stress management workshops.
Impact and Interview Findings from a Study of New Jersey’s 2017 Criminal Justice Reform
This report assesses whether New Jersey’s Criminal Justice Reform improved racial equity in the criminal legal system and made people perceive it as fairer.
A Program of the Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department
This brief presents a benefit-cost study of a Los Angeles program that connects people who have been involved in the legal system to community health workers.
This blog post describes advice from a social services organization about offering a sequence of services to individuals who are diagnosed with substance use disorders.
A summary of findings from the SUCCESS evaluation—which evaluated a comprehensive approaches to student success program—and lessons on coaching students.
This report analyzes interviews with child support staff members and parents, focusing on factors that may contribute to disparities and on where there is the potential for bias.
Findings from an Evaluation of Purpose Built Communities
This study examines over a 10-year period a program model designed to transform historically disinvested neighborhoods into thriving, mixed-income communities.
This blog post summarizes two broad findings from MDRC’s research on systems to determine which college students should be in developmental (remedial) courses.
In this commentary originally published by District Administration, Barbara Condliffe and Shira Mattera offer four strategies for implementing “high-dosage” tutoring programs.