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.

Aug 17-18, 2026: 2-day workshop in Tanzania: AI for MERL Bootcamp

This 2-day free in-person workshop will equip participants to think critically about AI, evaluate where it genuinely adds value to MERL workflows, and apply it responsibly. We will cover two key aspects: 1) how to apply AI to support tasks along the MERL lifecycle, and 2) how to conduct MERL of AI-enabled efforts (such as chatbots in health or agriculture).

Aug 19: Building Practice around Responsible AI Principles in the Social Sector

On August 19, at 11 ET/4 pm BST, the Ethics and Governance Learning Group at MERL Tech’s CoP is meeting for a session focusing on the state of play for converting responsible AI frameworks to operations and use in social impact sectors. 

Sept 3-17: Find out what Small Language Models can do for you

The MERL Tech Initiative is once again offering our course on Small Language Models (SLMs). Join us in September for a hands-on workshop led by experts Cathy Richards and Jonas Norén.