Baltimore's guaranteed income pilot helped young parents, study finds

Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun on Oct 22, 2025

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BALTIMORE — A two-year guaranteed income program that provided young parents in Baltimore with $1,000 per month led to greater financial stability, reduced stress, and higher rates of educational and job participation, according to new independent data released Wednesday.

The Baltimore Young Families Success Fund provided 200 residents aged 18 to 24 with an unconditional monthly payment from August 2022 through July 2024. The program, backed by $4.8 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds, was designed to help low-income young parents cover basic needs and pursue long-term goals.

Researchers found that participants used the extra income to pay off debt, increase savings, afford child care, and improve housing stability. Compared to a control group, those receiving payments reported fewer missed hours at work due to child care problems, greater food security, and less “household chaos,” the report said.

At 24 months, BYFSF participants were more likely to have income from employment and were more than twice as likely as those in the control group to apply for college or professional training. The percentage of participants living with friends or relatives dropped from 37% at the start of the program to 19% after payments ended.

Nearly all participants said the cash helped them meet their children’s needs or pay for enrichment activities. Researchers also found lower levels of stress and higher self-esteem among participants compared with the control group, even after the payments stopped.

Mayor Brandon Scott, who launched the pilot in 2022, said the results show how targeted investment can strengthen young families.

“The BYFSF pilot was about investing in the potential of our young families, and the impact went far beyond their pocketbooks,” Scott said in a statement. “We saw in the data that it allowed families to stabilize their finances and pursue their goals for the future — from continuing their education to paying down debt, saving for emergencies, and investing in their children.”

Robin McKinney, co-founder and CEO of the CASH Campaign of Maryland, which helped administer the program, said the results show the value of trusting families to make their own financial decisions.

“Baltimore’s pilot didn’t just deliver cash, it delivered breathing room, hope, and proof that investing directly in people yields lasting impact,” McKinney said.

The program was conducted in partnership with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a coalition of more than 180 mayors advocating for direct cash assistance programs nationwide. Michael D. Tubbs, the former mayor of Stockton, California, and founder of the coalition, said Baltimore’s results mirror findings from similar pilots in more than 20 cities.

“The results of Baltimore’s Young Families Success Fund show how direct cash support unlocks potential and creates opportunities for families to move from surviving to thriving,” Tubbs said. “This aligns with data from over 20 other cities, proving that guaranteed income is a policy solution for poverty and income inequality.”

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