“By engaging the broader community, we made sure the program was informed by the needs of the community and the data of Baltimore's reality.”
—Joe Jones, Center for Urban Families
Implementing a Guaranteed Income Pilot in Baltimore to Improve the Lives of Young Families
A Snapshot about CASH Campaign of Maryland
Brief Sep-01-2025 3-min read
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Report Publish Date: September 1, 2025
This issue brief is part of a larger study on family-serving organizations or direct service organizations participating in policy and systems change work.
Primary Takeaways
- Lesson 1: Involving diverse voices in design and implementation strengthens the process and outcomes.
- Lesson 2: Showing care for participants is a key part of a holistic approach that builds parents’ power.
- Lesson 3: Thoughtful messaging supports clear communication about the work.
- Lesson 4: Trusted government champions enable pilot success.
Overview and Objectives
Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI) is a network of mayors advocating for, as CASH describes, “recurring, unconditional cash payments to a targeted group of people.” GI “creates a “floor” of basic income to close the gap created by low wages.” Former Stockton, CA, Mayor Michael Tubbs launched MGI to support local pilot programs and build buy-in at the federal level for a GI program through program evaluation and advocacy. Initial pilots were funded philanthropically, but the federal government began to show an interest in providing GI funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in 2020, and Saint Paul, MN, became the first GI pilot to use ARPA funding. After learning more about GI pilots from Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott signed on to MGI and announced the Baltimore Young Families Success Fund (BYFSF) pilot in 2021.
Hypothesis or Approach
The City of Baltimore, CASH Campaign of Maryland, and partners envisioned an opportunity to create a more resilient economy and financial stability for families in Baltimore City. They also hoped that by implementing a pilot program, they would gather insights to contribute to a revolution in guaranteed income across the nation.
The Baltimore Young Families Success Fund (BYFSF) aimed to combat the economic fallout from COVID-19 by providing payments to young parents who were hit hardest by the crisis. Building off the success of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)–which is a lump sum, unrestricted payment–and riding on the wave of the recently passed Advanced Child Tax Credit, CASH and partners wanted to apply these learnings to other programs, like the BYFSF, in addition to focusing on a north star of a GI federal policy.
“It changed my life, it definitely helped me to be able to manage my money better and save better. It helped me know what it feels like to have extra money and know how to save the money.”
—Ariana Wilkins, program participant
How This Influences Change
They planned to take the learnings from the pilot and apply them to other cash-related programs to make the case that people need more flexibility.
Grant Details
Amount awarded:
$359,833
Awarded on: 08/18/2023
Timeframe: 2023-2025
Grant number: 81016
Location: Washington, DC
About Grantee:
Contact Info
Center for Evaluation Innovation, Inc. Washington, DC 20036
https://www.evaluationinnovation.orgResearch: Go Deeper
Research Team
This study and report was conducted and created by the following people.
- Sara Johnson, Robin McKinney, and Tonaeya Moore, CASH Campaign of Maryland
- Joe Jones, Center for Urban Families Bryan Doherty; and
- Alli Smith, Baltimore Mayor’s Office Tazhane Jordan and Ariana Wilkins, pilot program participants
Similar Research to Explore
Brief
Guaranteed Income: An Unconditional Investment in Children and Families
This research highlights evidence from programs that provide unconditional, recurring payments and policy recommendations to scale and sustain guaranteed income.