Research Projects

Poverty and Inequality

Current Projects

Baby’s First Years Study

August 2019 - Ongoing

Baby’s First Years is a pathbreaking study of the causal impact of monthly, unconditional cash gifts to low-income mothers and their children in the first three years of the child’s life. The cash gifts are funded through charitable foundations. The study will identify whether reducing poverty can affect early childhood development and the family processes that support children’s development.

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Local Criminal Justice Reform Efforts: Effects on Employment, Self-Sufficiency, and Family Well-Being

December 2019 - December 2024

This study is evaluating a local program in Durham, NC, that waives the fees of those who have a suspended license due to failure to pay, in order to discover how reinstating drivers’ licenses can reduce barriers to employment and self-sufficiency.

read more about Local Criminal Justice Reform Efforts: Effects on Employment, Self-Sufficiency, and Family Well-Being

Net Worth Poverty and Children’s Development

August 2022 - July 2024

This study examines how net worth poverty – or household’s whose wealth levels fall below one-quarter of the federal poverty line – is associated with children’s cognitive and behavioral development. Most children who are net worth poor are not income poor, meaning that these economically vulnerable group of children have been conventionally overlooked in conversations about poverty.

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STEPS: Study of Teen Experiences that Promote Success

May 2023 - February 2028

This project aims to advance research on the relationship between economic well-being, wealth, adolescent functioning and mental health.

read more about STEPS: Study of Teen Experiences that Promote Success

Past Projects