We Aren't Your Typical Evaluation Firm
Founder Story
I founded The Research & Insights Lab after spending 15+ years working with education and youth development organizations—first at the NYC Department of Education, then at Relay Graduate School of Education, and later at Teachers Pay Teachers.
Everywhere I went, I saw the same pattern: leaders doing incredible work with educators and young people, but drowning in data while still lacking the insights they needed.
The problem was rarely that teams didn't have any data. Organizations collected tons of it.
The problem was the system—or lack of one.
Staff collected information but didn't know what it meant. Data lived in silos that only a select few people could access. Reports were written for funders, but didn't inform program decisions. Evaluation felt like something you did TO your team, not WITH them.
I realized that one-time evaluation studies weren't the answer.
Organizations didn't need another consultant to parachute in, conduct a study, hand them a report, and leave. They needed something fundamentally different: a sustainable learning practice—the infrastructure to generate evidence continuously, the capacity to use it for reflection and improvement, and the storytelling skills to share impact in ways that resonate.
That's why TRAIL is built differently.
We don't just deliver reports. We build learning organizations.
We help you create systems that make data collection automatic. We develop your team's capacity to interpret findings and reflect on what they mean. We facilitate learning cycles that drive improvement. And we help you craft stories that demonstrate your impact in ways that excite funders and partners.
Think of us as your strategic learning partner—we help you build the infrastructure and skills that turn data into organizational growth.
— Anne-Marie Hoxie, PhD
Founder & President, The Research & Insights Lab
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
We Take a Systems Approach
Most evaluation firms focus on conducting studies. We focus on building your capacity to generate and use evidence continuously.
The difference: When our engagement ends, you have sustainable practices and skilled people—not just a report on a shelf.
We Specialize in Education & Youth Development
We understand developmental outcomes, what success looks like for young people, and the complexity of measuring growth over time.
The difference: We speak your language and know what funders in your sector care about.
We Build Capacity, Not Dependency
Our goal is to make ourselves unnecessary. We train your team, document processes, and create tools you can maintain independently.
The difference: You're not locked into an ongoing consulting relationship. You gain internal capability.
We Make Data Accessible, Not Intimidating
We believe data literacy shouldn't require a PhD. We train teams to read, interpret, and use data with confidence—using plain language, not technical jargon.
The difference: Your whole team can engage with evidence, not just a select few "data people.
We Blend Rigor and Heart
We believe evidence is most powerful when numbers combine with the human experiences behind them. Our approach honors both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of your impact.
The difference: You get evaluation that feels authentic to your mission and resonates with the communities you serve.
Who We Work With
Nonprofit Organizations
We partner with education and youth development nonprofits with annual budgets ranging from $500K to $50M+. Our clients include:
✓ After-school and out-of-school time programs
✓ College access and success organizations
✓ Youth mentoring and leadership programs
✓ Community-based education initiatives
✓ School-based intervention programs
Philanthropic Foundations
We work with local, regional, and national foundations that fund education and youth development work. Our foundation clients include:
✓ Family foundations with education portfolios
✓ Community foundations supporting youth programs
✓ Corporate foundations investing in education
✓ National foundations with grantee capacity-building initiatives
We Believe In
Partnership over expertise
We're co-creators with our clients, not outside experts who swoop in with all the answers.
Capacity over dependency
We build your skills so you can maintain systems independently after our engagement ends.
Learning over compliance
Data should drive improvement and innovation, not just check boxes for funders.
Stories with substance
Evidence is most powerful when numbers combine with the human experiences behind them.
Practical over perfect
We help you build systems that work in the real world—not overly complicated frameworks that sound good on paper but fail in practice.
Want to Learn More?
Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call to discuss your organization's needs and explore whether we're a good fit to work together.
