MDRC
MDRC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in New York, New York, and classified as a public charity. Founded in 1974, it conducts research on programs and policies affecting people with low incomes, shares findings with policymakers and practitioners, and works with programs and agencies to improve their effectiveness and efficiency.
MDRC at a glance
In short: MDRC gave $720K across 6 grants in 2024 (avg $120K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $719,903
- -51.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 6
- -75.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $119,984
- +96.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $157,204,286
- -7.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Illinois (56% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to MDRC
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 Vesey Street 23Rd Floor, New York, NY 10281-2103
Phone: (212) 532-3200
Website: https://mdrc.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who MDRC funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Impact for Equity ($385K). Together the top 6 received $720K.
Grant Size Distribution
153 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 153 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
MDRC says its staff work in communities across the country. Its 2024 grants went to recipients in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Colorado, and California; Illinois accounted for 56% of grant dollars and Missouri for 40%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 6 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How MDRC gives
- Giving fell 76% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $720K (2024) to $3.8M (2020). In 2024 it made 6 grants totaling $720K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Impact for Equity Chicago, IL | Restricted Purpose a | $384,903 |
| Ascend STL Inc St. Louis, MO | Restricted Purpose a | $289,000 |
| Children's Home & Aid Society of Illinois Chicago, IL | Restricted Purpose a | $20,000 |
| Hudson County Community College Jersey City, NJ | Restricted Purpose a | $10,000 |
| Northeastern Junior College Denver, CO | Restricted Purpose a | $10,000 |
| Lindsay Unified School District Lindsay, CA | Restricted Purpose a | $6,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
MDRC reported an annual budget of $97 million for 2024 and said its revenue comes from federal, state, and city government contracts; foundations; corporations; and individuals.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $157,204,286 | $89,342,277 | $93,933,340 | $719,903 | 6 | $4,793,076 |
| 2023 | $169,599,344 | $83,947,862 | $84,999,059 | $1,469,501 | 24 | $3,165,607 |
| 2022 | $163,594,084 | $82,765,389 | $85,740,416 | $2,063,627 | 44 | $2,305,412 |
| 2021 | $143,919,606 | $93,136,568 | $75,092,277 | $2,943,012 | 32 | $2,487,809 |
| 2020 | $118,549,591 | $65,579,736 | $66,026,292 | $3,846,646 | 47 | $1,799,274 |
| 2019 | $112,554,344 | $71,668,212 | $73,087,851 | $3,704,537 | 56 | $2,213,942 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
MDRC states that it is dedicated to improving the well-being of people with low incomes and seeks through research to enhance the effectiveness of social policies and programs that affect them. Its work includes evaluating education and family-service interventions; studying employment, public assistance, housing, and community initiatives; and researching programs for young people and people involved in or at risk of entering the criminal justice system.
Its 2024 grants included support for Impact for Equity, whose stated mission is “to dismantle systemic barriers to equity and ensure just outcomes for all,” and Hudson County Community College, which reported that its grant supported scholarships and awards for students.
Grantmaking
In 2024, MDRC reported six grants totaling $719,903. Grant amounts ranged from $6,000 to $384,903, with a median of $15,000. The largest grants were $384,903 to Impact for Equity in Chicago and $289,000 to Ascend STL Inc. in St. Louis. Other listed grants included $20,000 to Children’s Home & Aid Society of Illinois, $10,000 to Hudson County Community College, $10,000 to Northeastern Junior College, and $6,000 to Lindsay Unified School District.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Bridget Terry Long as director and chair, and Milton J. Little Jr. as director and treasurer. Other directors listed are Robert Denham, Aoifinn Devitt, Hilary Hoynes, Lawrence Katz, Josh B. McGee, Richard J. Murnane, Eloy Ortiz Oakley, and Michael Roster.
MDRC is led by Virginia W. Knox, President on every filing since 2019; 10 of 27 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Virginia W. Knox
President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$302K (2019) → $646K (2024)
Bridget Terry Long
Director & Chair
Director → Director & Chair, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Weiss
Hr Director
Human Resources Director → Hr Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$196K (2019) → $254K (2024)
John Martinez
Vice President & Director Program
Vice President & Director Program Development → Vice President & Director Program, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$199K (2021) → $265K (2024)
Dan J. Bloom - Sr Vice Pres
Director, Policy, Research & E
Director, Policy, Research & Eval. Dept. → Director, Policy, Research & E, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$292K (2022) → $319K (2024)
Hilary Hoynes
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John B. King Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Josh B. McGee
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lawrence Katz
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Roster
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard J. Murnane
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Denham
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aoifinn Devitt
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eloy Ortiz Oakley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Milton J. Little Jr.
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa S. Kearney
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Naomi Goldstein
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan T. Gooden
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rashmita Mistry
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Candice C. Jones
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Osborne
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Michalopoulos
Chief Economist
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$242K (2019) → $274K (2024)
James A. Riccio
Principal Research Fellow
Policy Area Director → Principal Research Fellow, 2021
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$234K (2019) → $268K (2024)
Jesus M. Amadeo
Senior Vice President & CFO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$421K (2019) → $498K (2024)
John Hutchins
Chief Communications Officer
Communications Director → Chief Communications Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$201K (2019) → $259K (2024)
Rose Kob
Vice President & General Counsel
Vice President & General Cnsel → Vice President & General Counsel, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$182K (2020) → $265K (2024)
Kate Gualtieri
Chief of Staff
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$220K (2022) → $251K (2024)
Former officers (17)
- Former: Rebecca Blank (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Barbara Goldman (2019–2022) — Vice President, Director Deployment & Accountability
- Former: Mary Jo Bane (2019–2022) — Past Chair
- Former: Robert Solow (2019–2022) — Chairman Emeritus · Filing note: Thru 12/6/2022
- Former: Ronald Haskins (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Milton J. Little Jr - Dir (2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Carolyn Hill (2019–2021) — Senior Fellow
- Former: Dan J. Bloom (2019–2021) — Senior Vice President & Director Pred
- Former: James H. Johnson (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Sharon Rowser (2019–2021) — Vice President & Dep. Director Pred · Filing note: Thru 072021
- Former: Cecilia Rouse (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Frederick Doolittle (2019–2020) — Senior Fellow
- Former: Jan Nicholson (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Rudolph Penner (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Milton J. Little Jras Of (2020) — Director
- Former: Gordon Berlin (2019) — President
- Former: Isabel Sawhill (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $646K, to Virginia W Knox (President). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about MDRC
How much does MDRC give each year?
MDRC gave $720K across 6 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 24 grants.
What is MDRC's typical grant size?
MDRC's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $119,984, across 6 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does MDRC give grants?
MDRC gives mostly in Illinois: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Missouri (40%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does MDRC give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 6 grants with a stated purpose on MDRC's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Restricted Purpose a" (6 grants).
Who are MDRC's largest grantees?
MDRC's largest 2024 grantees include Impact for Equity ($384,903), Ascend STL Inc ($289,000) and Children's Home & Aid Society of Illinois ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is MDRC?
MDRC reported $157.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $89.3M.
What does MDRC fund?
MDRC states that it is dedicated to improving the well-being of people with low incomes and seeks through research to enhance the effectiveness of social policies and programs that affect them. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from MDRC?
MDRC has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check mdrc.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is MDRC's EIN?
MDRC's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7379473. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 16, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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