Join us for the launch of a Community of Practice (CoP) for Community-Led approaches to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)
Community-led principles often overlap with feminist principles and have similar opportunities and challenges when it comes to applying them to MEL. Community-led MEL has been proven to create gender transformative change in communities.
Are you working toward applying community-led or similar principles, such as inclusion and balancing power dynamics, to monitoring, evaluation, and learning in the international development and aid space — but often feel like you’re doing it alone? Are you experimenting, questioning, adapting, and learning alongside communities, without many spaces to connect honestly with others doing similar work?
We’re excited to invite you to join this Community of Practice for applying principles of Community Leadership in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.
Many of us are working toward community-led MEL—often doing this work in isolation. We have not yet found a shared space to learn in real time from each other and dialogue honestly about what it takes to put this into practice. This Community of Practice (CoP) is meant to be that space.
This CoP is graciously hosted by the Movement for Community-Led Development (MCLD) and led by a dedicated anchor group. We want to recognize complimentary efforts happening globally, including the APEA CommunityOwnsMERL group.
What this CoP is about
Together, we want to:
Learn with and from each other about how community-led MEL (or whatever terminology you use) looks in practice in the international development and aid sector
Share questions, experiences, and resources—and reduce silos across the sector
Document and lift up approaches that support communities to own monitoring, evaluation, and learning around change in their lives
Who this CoP is for
Centering community voices and lived experience is core to this space. This CoP is for anyone working on and exploring applying community-led principles to MEL in the international development and aid sector. That includes community-based and grassroots organizations, MEL practitioners, community-led development or community-led response practitioners, advocates, and allies across development and humanitarian contexts.
You don’t need to be an expert and you may not even use this terminology. This is a space for people who want to learn together, share power, and center community knowledge and lived experience.
What to expect at the first meeting
This will be a participatory, co-creative session focused on connecting and shaping a collective learning agenda and framework. The first hour will be focused on collectively shaping the expectations of the CoP. We will host an additional half hour for people to connect to each other.
If you’re working on, curious about, or committed to community-led approaches to MEL, we’d love to have you join and help shape this space together.
Warmly on behalf of the CoP for applying community-led approaches to MEL Anchor Group
Join us: Community of Practice for community-led approaches to MEAL
by Elaine Stavnitzky
Feb 19
Join us for the launch of a Community of Practice (CoP) for Community-Led approaches to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)
Community-led principles often overlap with feminist principles and have similar opportunities and challenges when it comes to applying them to MEL. Community-led MEL has been proven to create gender transformative change in communities.
Are you working toward applying community-led or similar principles, such as inclusion and balancing power dynamics, to monitoring, evaluation, and learning in the international development and aid space — but often feel like you’re doing it alone? Are you experimenting, questioning, adapting, and learning alongside communities, without many spaces to connect honestly with others doing similar work?
We’re excited to invite you to join this Community of Practice for applying principles of Community Leadership in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.
📅Date: Wednesday, 4 March 2026
🕓Time: 8am EST, 4pm EAT, 8pm ICT
Register 👉 here.
Many of us are working toward community-led MEL—often doing this work in isolation. We have not yet found a shared space to learn in real time from each other and dialogue honestly about what it takes to put this into practice. This Community of Practice (CoP) is meant to be that space.
This CoP is graciously hosted by the Movement for Community-Led Development (MCLD) and led by a dedicated anchor group. We want to recognize complimentary efforts happening globally, including the APEA CommunityOwnsMERL group.
What this CoP is about
Together, we want to:
Who this CoP is for
Centering community voices and lived experience is core to this space. This CoP is for anyone working on and exploring applying community-led principles to MEL in the international development and aid sector. That includes community-based and grassroots organizations, MEL practitioners, community-led development or community-led response practitioners, advocates, and allies across development and humanitarian contexts.
You don’t need to be an expert and you may not even use this terminology. This is a space for people who want to learn together, share power, and center community knowledge and lived experience.
What to expect at the first meeting
This will be a participatory, co-creative session focused on connecting and shaping a collective learning agenda and framework. The first hour will be focused on collectively shaping the expectations of the CoP. We will host an additional half hour for people to connect to each other.
If you’re working on, curious about, or committed to community-led approaches to MEL, we’d love to have you join and help shape this space together.
Warmly on behalf of the CoP for applying community-led approaches to MEL Anchor Group
Hosted by the Movement for Community-Led Development (MCLD)
If any questions, you may direct them to:
Elaine Stavnitzky (she/her)
Community-owned, feminist-MEAL coach
Elevating Voices for Change, Chief Navigator & Founder
See what we’re up to on LinkedIn
New name. Long experience.