Marin Guaranteed Income Demonstration Project Evaluation Findings

An evaluation report of the Marian County Guaranteed Income Pilot for advocates, researchers and policymakers. The evaluation used a mixed-method approach combining in-depth interviews with a retrospective survey. In-depth interviews were conducted with a random sample of 30 participants at two time points with the same individuals. The survey was conducted in May 2023 and had a 68% response rate. The evaluation found that participants’ financial well-being improved, as they were able to pay down debt and save for the future. Participants also pursued educational opportunities and maintained their work hours. Funds were used mostly for food and housing costs, with participants experiencing overall improvements to their food security and the quality of their housing. A key objective of MOMentum was to demonstrate the importance of guaranteed income in supporting Moms’ economic and social mobility and to shift the pervasive negative narratives about the trustworthiness of how those with low incomes would use unconditional cash. Findings from the evaluation support this and demonstrate how indispensable the extra cash was for the moms as they worked against existing structural challenges, including high cost of living, lack of affordable housing, and low wage jobs.