Connect. Learn. Community.

MNEA’s Unconference 2026:
Evaluation and Collective Care.

This year, Minnesota communities have experienced tremendous disruption, from Operation Metro Surge and the freezing of Medicaid funding, to investigations of fraud and federal demands for voter rolls and gender affirming care data. At a time when our community can experience sudden social disruptions and demands, evaluators must navigate new and heightened uncertainty, inequity, institutional strain, and questions of trust. We have an important role to play in nurturing learning, accountability, and community voice.

At MNEA’s Unconference 2026: Evaluation and Collective Care, we will interactively explore how evaluation practice can strengthen community bonds and relationships, elevate lived experiences, and contribute to more just and responsive systems. Participants will call and join conversations like:

What it means to practice evaluation with a collective care lens
Preventing burnout in evaluation work
Who trusts evaluation data and why
Using data to spark empathy

This all-day gathering will bring together evaluators, researchers, nonprofit leaders, public-sector professionals, healthcare practitioners, and community partners for collaborative learning and conversation.

Additional details and updates will be shared in the coming months.

If you need any accommodations to participate or have questions, please email info@mneval.org. We are looking forward to seeing you!

Calling question

Knowing it is up to us, what are the conversations and care required of evaluators in this moment that will move us towards a more just and sustainable future that is grounded in MNEA values.

About Unconferences

Unconferences (also known as Open Space Technology) began when observers of traditional conferences would say that the coffee breaks were always the best parts. That's because during a coffee break, participants are free to talk about the issues on their minds, share knowledge and connections, and work through their most interesting problems with other professionals they don't usually see everyday.

Learn more.

Sponsorship Opportunities

When you sponsor the Minnesota Evaluation Association (MNEA), you are investing in Minnesota's evaluation community and the people who use evidence, learning, and reflection to improve programs, organizations, and systems. Your support will make this event more accessible by offsetting registration costs for emerging evaluators and those navigating financial barriers. As a sponsor, you'll be leading the field and shaping the future of evaluation in our state.

Learn more.