Field-Tested Expertise
M&E expertise across multiple contexts and donor frameworks. Working knowledge of USAID, FCDO, Global Affairs Canada, SIDA, EU, and foundation requirements. Grounded in real implementation, not academic theory.
About M&E Studio
AI resources and advisory services for international development, foundations, and nonprofits.
M&E Studio makes monitoring and evaluation accessible to locally-led organizations and small nonprofits in the social impact sector.
A sector where M&E quality doesn't depend on the size of the M&E budget.
Read our full mission and visionWho we're building for
Locally-led organizations
Funded but under-resourced. Often first-time grantees with no inherited M&E playbook.
Smaller nonprofits, mid-size teams
Program officer or ED running M&E on the side. Want to show impact, don't know how.
Country & regional teams
Servicing multiple donor portfolios with thin central support.
Grantee partners in INGO portfolios
Locally-led orgs depending on capacity-building support that's been historically inconsistent.
Why Us
Process Transparency
Every output passes quality gates, evidence checks, and human review. You see how AI was used and what changed. No black boxes, no unexplained results.
See Our ServicesAI for M&E
AI tools and guidance built by an M&E practitioner. Tested before recommending, and honest about what AI can and cannot do.
Explore Our ServicesShared Foundation
Indicators, prompts, templates, and reference materials built once and shared. Start from working examples instead of a blank document, every project.
Browse the LibraryBehind the Practice
Ben Playfair
Founder & Principal Consultant
Save the Children · Global Communities · CRS · Peace Corps
M.A. International Policy & Development
PMD-PRO, MEAL-D-Pro, DPMI
English & Spanish
Charlotte, NC
13
Countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America
5
Donor frameworks: USAID, FCDO, GAC, SIDA, EU
10+
Years in M&E
M&E Studio was founded by Ben Playfair, a former Humanitarian MERLA Advisor at Save the Children US, MEL Advisor for Program Quality at Global Communities, and CRS International Development Fellow. That work spanned 13 countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, covering everything from field-level monitoring to organization-wide MEL standards development.
The practice was built on a simple premise: M&E should produce decisions. Every tool, framework, and engagement is held to that standard.
For program teams
M&E systems designed around the decisions your team actually makes, not the indicators your donor template suggests.
For M&E specialists
Browse 140+ AI prompts, 20+ guides, and 3,900+ indicators for free. Get advisory support when you need hands-on help.
For funders
Evidence systems that are rigorous and actually get used. Compliance and learning do not have to be separate goals.
For small teams
Free resources for organizations without a dedicated M&E department: locally-led nonprofits, smaller INGOs, and mid-size teams that do not need one.
Get Started
Explore free AI prompts, guides, and indicators. Or get in touch to discuss advisory and implementation support.