Equitable Evaluation Approach

We prioritize equitable research practices by working closely with program participants, partners, grantees, and community members. Our approach involves cultural humility, acknowledging that we may not share the lived experiences of participants. We value the knowledge and expertise of program staff and participants, incorporating their voices into project design, data collection, analysis, and deliverables. We also compensate research participants, minimize burden, and support storytelling and reciprocity.

As an organization, we are committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). While we have been mindful of these practices, we became more intentional following tragic events like the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. Recognizing our ongoing journey, we hold weekly team meetings to address equity in our evaluation practice, reflecting on successes, challenges, and biases. MAI employees engage in annual anti-racism, inclusion, and diversity professional development.

We have shifted our purpose beyond being evaluators and researchers to consider the services we provide, their beneficiaries, and our internal and external approaches. Our commitment to applying an equity lens involves paying study participants, using mixed methods, co-creating study approaches, meaning-making with interested parties, building trusting relationships, sharing positional statements, and examining findings across various subgroups for diverse experiences.