Capacity Building for
Systems Change Leaders

Because leaders transforming systems THRIVE when they are resourced and supported

Work With Us

We believe no leader should have to do this work alone

MDA creates spaces for changemakers to lead with purpose and power. Through co-designed solutions, community connections, and shared access to tools and resources, our partners unlock new opportunities, strengthen communities, and THRIVE in their systems-change work across education, child welfare, and social services.

What thriving looks like

Leadership Capacity Building

Growing your confidence and effectiveness as a leader who’s navigating complex systems, inspiring others, and driving meaningful change within your organizations and communities

Organizational Strategic Support

Becoming an organization that operates with greater clarity, alignment, and informed decision making that deepens their impact and makes system changes sustainable 

Research and Data Sense Making

Turning data and the lived experiences into actionable insights that can elevate the youth voice and shape systems to be more responsive and inclusive

Advocacy

Amplifying underrepresented voices and ensuring community needs are reflected in systems-level change as influential partners in policy and decision-making spaces 

Learn More About Our Services
Learn More About Our Services

Leading with Intention, Together

past and present clients or partners

Logo of The Annie E. Casey Foundation with an abstract design of a stylized human figure in gray and orange, and the foundation's name below.
Logo with orange geometric design resembling a house and arrow, with text 'Partners for Rural Impact'.
Blue logo with a white crescent moon and the text 'DSS South Carolina Department of Social Services'.
Logo of StriveTogether with the slogan 'Every child. Cradle to career.'
Casey Family Programs logo with a stylized abstract design and the text 'casey family programs'.

Co-designed Solutions

Page from a report with a teal background on the left side titled "Executive Summary" and text about research on education experiences of youth in the U.S. experiencing homelessness. The right side has a light gray background with three questions about research findings, each with a yellow circular icon featuring a different symbol.

A Landscape Scan of Research on the K-12 Education of Young People in the United States Who Experience Foster Care, Incarceration, and/or Homelessness

Stephanie Malia Krauss, Maddy Day, Thaddeus Ferber, and Danielle Wallis

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A presentation slide titled 'Fostering Higher Education.' The slide is divided into two images: on the left, a woman and a teenage girl are smiling and looking at a book in a classroom setting; on the right, a group of students in caps and gowns are attending a graduation ceremony. The slide mentions 'Preliminary Results, Project Update and Next Steps,' and is from August 17, 2022.
A presentation slide titled 'Fostering Higher Education.' The slide is divided into two images: on the left, a woman and a teenage girl are smiling and looking at a book in a classroom setting; on the right, a group of students in caps and gowns are attending a graduation ceremony. The slide mentions 'Preliminary Results, Project Update and Next Steps,' and is from August 17, 2022.

Annie E. Casey Foundation: Fostering Higher Education Webinar

In this webinar, the Annie E. Casey Foundation shares lessons and findings from a college-readiness effort focusing on youth in foster care. The session highlights promising strategies used in pilot programs at the Foundation‘s Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative® sites in Georgia and Iowa.

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