In Her Hands: A Guaranteed Income Initiative

Authors:

Laura Brugger, Washington University in St. Louis
Shadonna Davis, Clark Atlanta University
Desha Elliott, Clark Atlanta University 
Leah Hamilton, Appalachian State University
Stephen Roll, Washington University in St. Louis
Latrice Rollins, Morehouse College
Simone Smith, Clark Atlanta University
Aaron Quick, Clark Atlanta University 
Naomi Zewde, University of California, Los Angeles

Abstract:

In Her Hands (IHH) is a guaranteed income (GI) initiative aimed at addressing persistent economic insecurity among women in neighborhoods with some of Georgia’s highest poverty rates. Co-designed with local residents, the program delivered $20,400 over two years to 654 low-income women across urban, suburban, and rural areas. Findings from the initiative demonstrate that unconditional cash transfers enabled participants to stabilize their finances, reduce debt, and build resilience against economic shocks. Over time, participants increased savings, pursued educational and employment goals, improved access to food and healthcare, and invested in their families and communities. As one of the first and largest GI programs in the U.S. South — and the first to include a rural site — IHH offers compelling evidence of the role guaranteed income can play in fostering financial security, advancing equity, and informing inclusive economic policy.