Home - MERL Tech

Welcome to The MERL Tech Initiative!

MERL Tech is a term for digital tools and approaches that enable monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL). The term also describes the wider field of work at the intersection of technology and MERL.

The MERL Tech Initiative and its core collaborators work with social sector organizations to achieve thoughtful tech-enabled program design, implementation, and MERL. We convene communities of practice to share learning and advance responsible, ethical, realistic digital approaches that center people, communities and societies. We advocate for a strong focus on equity, justice and avoiding harm. Learn more about our work!

Latest News

Upcoming Events

Join MERL professionals to connect, network and learn.

A flyer with details on an EES AI and Evaluation event

November 4, 2-4pm CET

EES Sparking Discussion on AI and evaluation

The European Evaluation Society (EES) invites you to a free webinar exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and evaluation.

November 7th, 10:00am - 11:30am ET

Join the Humanitarian AI + MERL working group for our first scoping meeting

Our NLP Community of Practice is launching the Humanitarian AI+MERL Working Group with a focus on monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) to explore what the dawn of AI means for the humanitarian ecosystem, and to provide tools and knowledge to help humanitarians navigate complex questions regarding the appropriate use of AI for MERL in […]

A researcher with questions about using AI for research about GBV

November 14, 2024 9-11am ET

Can we safely use AI for research on GBV and violence against children?

Our next (in person only) Tech Salon on Nov 14, 2024 in New York City will cover if, when and how it’s safe to use AI tools for research on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and violence against children (VAC); from simpler tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Elicit to more advanced data science techniques. Read more […]

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