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 (MTI) 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!


Upcoming Events

Join MERL professionals to connect, network and learn.

June 1-5: Glocal Evaluation Week and May 26: gLocal launch event

Glocal Evaluation Week is a unique knowledge-sharing event, connecting a global community of people across sectors and regions. Over the course of a week, participants from all over the world join events – in their neighborhood or across the ocean – to learn from each other on a vast number of topics and themes. Allowing participants […]

June 17: Mobile World Congress Kigali

We are coming to Mobile World Congress Kigali. We’re joining a session focusing on AI impact measurement. Learn more and sign up below.

June 24: Cutting Through the Hype: A Practical Guide to Choosing Value-Aligned and High-Performance AI Tools with AEA

On June 24, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, Kevin Hong (The MERL Tech Initiative and Columbia University) is facilitating AEA’s Summer Workshop, which will focus on practical frameworks for assessing AI tools based on performance, alignment with organizational values, risk, and real-world impact.

July 13-15: Introduction to AI in Evaluation – IPDET Workshop

The IPDET Workshops in Bern (Switzerland) will take place from July 13 to 17, 2026. Linda Raftree (The MERL Tech Initiative) is co-facilitating a training with Paul Jasper to help evaluators who have so far had limited exposure to emerging AI, including Generative AI (GenAI), to understand potential implications and risks for their area of work. Learn more and register here.