Policymakers’ Report
To prepare the County Board of Commissioners for these findings, Cook County asked the Inclusive Economy Lab to produce a policymakers’ report that summarizes findings from other evaluations of guaranteed income pilots across the country. While many studies have analyzed the impact of guaranteed income (cash transfers or cash assistance) on various
outcomes, they differ in their research questions, methods, and outcomes. As more and more researchers release their findings, a complex picture of the impact of cash in the United States is emerging. Some studies show that cash moved particular outcomes in significant ways while other studies show that cash had no impact on those same outcomes. While advocates often highlight the more positive or exciting findings, it is critical to understand the full set of results and learn from pilots that find no impact or had unexpected results in order to better inform the field and policy.