The Mirror Institute
Transform Evaluation. Advance Data Innovation.
Lead Change.
“It all begins with a question, a bold idea to drive change. Maybe you want to understand your impact more deeply. Maybe you’re ready to lead with clarity, compassion, and data that tells the whole story. Whatever the spark, transformational evaluation requires more than tools, it calls for reflection, community, and continuous learning. At the Mirror Institute™, we believe training evaluators is not just technical work, it’s human work. And it’s through intentional learning that we build the skills to lead, innovate, and advance equity together.” Mindelyn Anderson, CEO of Mirror Group
The Mirror Institute™ is a learning and leadership initiative from Mirror Group, designed to support equity-centered evaluation practice across the social sector.
Our flagship offering, the Foundations in Transformational Evaluation™ Certificate Program, equips nonprofit professionals, foundation staff, and social impact leaders with the tools to evaluate with integrity, measure impact inclusively, and lead through change.
Foundations in Transformational Evaluation™ Certificate
Our Foundations in Transformational Evaluation™ Certificate Program is a unique professional development journey designed for nonprofits, foundations, and social impact leaders.
Through six dynamic courses, participants gain:
Ethical and culturally responsive evaluation skills
Practical tools for inclusive data collection and storytelling
Real-world leadership for social innovation
Program Overview
Foundations of Transformational Research & Evaluation™
Ethics and Equity in Practice: A Mirror Group Approach™
Applied Methods for Inclusive Impact Measurement™
The Art of Evaluation Storytelling™
Leading Evaluation Projects for Social Innovation™
Blueprints for Community-Led Evaluation™
What You’ll Gain
Ethical and culturally responsive research and evaluation skills
Develop leadership for real-world social innovation projects
Practical tools for community-led impact
A Certificate in Foundations in Transformational Evaluation™
Certificate Requirements:
Complete all six courses
Submit a Capstone Reflection or Mini-Project in Blueprints for Community-Led Evaluation™
Earn the Foundations in Transformational Evaluation™ Certificate
Receive an optional digital badge for LinkedIn or your resume
Flexible Learning at the Mirror Institute™
The Mirror Institute™ offers live online and asynchronous learning experiences designed to meet the needs of today’s dynamic organizations and leaders.
Training and Development
Looking to build evaluation capacity in a focused, flexible way. We offer select Mirror Institute™ courses and offerings individually for teams and organizations seeking targeted, high-impact learning experiences.
Leading Evaluation Projects for Social Innovation™
Learn to turn findings into stories that inspire action, communicate nuance, and honor community voice. This course teaches participants how to frame and present data in compelling, human-centered ways that resonate with diverse audiences and drive equitable decision-making.
AI + Evaluation: Opportunities and Cautions for the Social Sector
Get grounded in what AI can (and can’t) do in MEL. This session introduces practical use cases, ethical risks, and frameworks for integrating AI tools responsibly in nonprofit and philanthropic evaluation settings.
The Art of Evaluation Storytelling™
Develop your leadership lens and learn how to design and guide evaluation projects that align with equity, learning, and innovation. This course supports practitioners in navigating real-world dynamics, centering values, and leading collaborative, change-oriented evaluation efforts.
Human-Centered Approaches to MEL
Explore how to co-create evaluation tools, frameworks, and learning agendas with the people most impacted by your work. Participants will practice empathy-driven methods and learn how to shift from extraction to engagement.
Foundations of Transformational Research & Evaluation™
Begin your journey by exploring the principles of reflective, participatory, and justice-oriented evaluation. This foundational course grounds participants in the Mirror Methodology™ and invites critical inquiry into the role of evaluation in shaping systems, policies, and narratives.
Learning in Complexity: Developmental Evaluation in Practice
For leaders working in fast-moving or uncertain environments, this workshop offers hands-on tools to implement developmental evaluation and support emergent strategy.