The Year of the Snake is well underway and while the ground beneath us is shifting, we continue to reimagine the role of evaluation in the social sector. We stand firm in our commitment to working with data in ways that are more rigorous and relevant because they center the stories, assets, and dreams of communities most affected by the work. In her annual update, our Founder and Principal, Min Ma, reflects on connecting threads of our work over the past year and previews what lies ahead.

Data+Soul is the journey, commitment, and practice of holding ourselves (evaluators) accountable for continuous self-reflection and learning when implementing culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE)—all within the context of systemic challenges.

We are thrilled to announce a pivotal transition in our journey as a team. What was once MXM Research Group has now transformed into Data+Soul.

We were hired by the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, a local foundation with a broad grantmaking portfolio; part of their strategy includes giving grants to support artists in their region.

As I depart the California desert on the heels of a series of retreats and a milestone birthday, I'm finally feeling settled into the new year.

Every two years, communities across the United States collect data on health behaviors among youth using the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).

During the last year of funding for a sexual health program for Black and Brown young adults (18-25 years old) in Boston, the program team at Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) - Health Services contracted MXM Research Group to conduct an evaluation.

In May, we hosted our very first Data + Soul Festival! The event convened a few dozen professionals curious about data and equity and provided a chance for reflection, connection, and play.

At MXM Research Group, the social justice issues we work on are cross-cutting - they're rarely confined to a single topic area and most require multi-sectoral collaboration.

Every now and then, when I'm reading with my toddler, I'll breeze through a sentence that leaves me completely floored.

CORE Mental Health is a regional coalition in Massachusetts that works to dismantle racial inequities in mental health.

How do we evaluate systems change? When I think about systems change, let alone evaluating it, I sometimes don’t know where to start.

We leapt into 2022 without enough of a pause - grateful that the lunar new year offers a second chance. Watch this space for some of our team’s reflections.

Join us at the Alliance for Nonprofit Management’s 2021 Capacity Builders Virtual Conference.

After five wonderful years as MXM Consulting, we've changed our name to MXM Research Group LLC to reflect growth and new beginnings.

Every two years, school districts across the country collect data on risky health behaviors among youth using the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).

Waltham Partnership for Youth, a non-profit organization in the city of Waltham, MA, heard frequent comments that transportation needs of youth and families in the city are under addressed.

Community Health Network Area 17 (CHNA 17) works to advance racial equity and mental health access across six cities/towns near Boston.

MXM Research Group is partnering with the Greater Boston Evaluation Network to host a virtual roundtable on Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA).