The Judith Gueron Fund for Methodological Innovation
The Judith Gueron Fund for Methodological Innovation in Social Policy Research was established in 2004 by MDRC and six founding partners, the Annie E. Casey, Rockefeller, Jerry Lee, Spencer, William T. Grant, and Grable Foundations, in honor of Gueron’s legacy of promoting high standards in social policy research. Gueron served as President of MDRC from 1986 to 2004.
The Fund helps advance MDRC's work on new methodologies for developing evidence that informs policy and improves practice. These include the use of:
- quasi-experimental methods to measure program effects when random assignment methods are not feasible;
- mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to document how programs are implemented;
- multilevel statistical models to combine findings across randomized studies in order to explore the linkages between program implementation and effects;
- instrumental variables methods with randomized experiments to study the causal paths by which programs create their effects; and
- randomization of intact groups, instead of individuals, to study programs that are focused on organizations or places.
The Judith Gueron Fund is also used to support such activities as: (1) new work to extend these quantitative and qualitative methods MDRC has pioneered and to disseminate them widely, (2) a minority scholars program of internships, new hires, and visiting scholar opportunities, (3) a series of methodological seminars by prominent scholars, and (4) methodological advisory panels to help guide MDRC's future research. Additional information about these activities will be announced as they are developed.
To contribute to the Judith Gueron Fund, contact Chera Reid, Development and External Affairs Department, MDRC, 16 E. 34th Street, New York, NY 10016.
