Marin County, California mothers who received monthly cash payments as part of the MOMentum guaranteed income pilot showed significant gains on key measures, including financial stability, housing security, health and social connections.
MOMentum launched in 2021 with 125 low-income Moms of color, all with a child under 18. They received $1,000 a month for two years. A third year extension provided step-down funding which totaled $7,500. The pilot concluded this month.
The Marin Community Foundation funded the $3 million initiative and UpTogether, a national nonprofit working to change how the U.S. addresses poverty, administered the pilot. Marin County is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, and ranks among one of the most racially disparate counties in California on all measures of well-being.
“The powerful results show that investing in moms and their children has big returns. Mothers know best and can be trusted to make the decisions that are best for their families,” said UpTogether CEO Jesús Gerena. “In developing this initiative, MOMentum centered women. They told us they need cash, not another program.”
Claudia Muralles used her investment to finish her undergraduate degree. The funds increased her family’s financial security. “We used to make do with what we had. Do we pay PG&E or pay for gas for the car? Do we eat beans and rice or can I afford a little meat in our meals?” Muralles said. “To me the empowerment that came through the funds had no price. That sense of control over my money and sense I could do other things is priceless. It’s empowering. I’m unstoppable!”
Social Policy Research Associates evaluated the first two years of MOMentum. Here are highlights:
Financial Well-Being
- Moms experienced an 11% increase in financial well-being scores.
- Moms were able to pay down debt, with 76% saying their debt was more manageable.
- Nearly half of moms - 48% - were enrolled in educational and job training opportunities since starting MOMentum.
- For a majority of moms — 58% — the number of hours they worked did not change after starting MOMentum. However, 34% worked fewer hours and 8% worked more hours. For those working fewer hours, 82% reported spending more time with their children and 57% reported working on their educational goals.
Food Security and Housing Stability
- Moms ranked the top three areas of impact and they selected food, followed by housing, utilities, clothing, and transportation.
- Moms experienced an 8% decrease in homelessness. Moms also reported achieving more housing stability, from 45% who had stable housing at the start of the pilot to 60% after two years.
- MOMentum greatly affected moms’ ability to purchase more and better food for their family, with 77% reporting they worried less about having enough food for their families.
Physical and Mental Well-Being
- 59% of moms reported their health improved since starting MOMentum.
- 52% of moms said their stress levels were much better after MOMentum, with 34% reporting their stress was somewhat better.
- 70% of moms reported spending more time and enjoying special activities with their children and families.
“There is a reason that guaranteed income pilots are becoming ubiquitous around the country,” said Vikki Garrod, Chief of Staff at Marin Community Foundation. “They are proving to be the most flexible and empowering option to social safety net programs. We all need to be paying attention to the impact they are having in our communities.”