About the Madison Forward Fund

The Madison Forward Fund was a year-long guaranteed income experimental program for Madison residents that launched in 2022. The guaranteed income provided a monthly, cash payment of $500 given directly to 155 households for 12 months to spend however they need. The program was founded upon the beliefs that people experiencing financial scarcity are best positioned to make informed financial decisions that efficiently address their households’ needs, and that everyone in Madison deserves financial security so their families can truly thrive. The purpose of the program was to support financial stability for our most vulnerable residents, while also contributing data on the effectiveness of guaranteed income programs, helping to inform social policy in Madison and beyond. The program was evaluated by researchers at University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research and UW-Madison’s Institute for Research on Poverty.

Eligibility
Participants for the program were randomly selected from a pool of applicants who met the following criteria:

  • Resident of the City of Madison
  • Age 18 or older
  • Household income 200% or less of the Federal Poverty Line
  • Living with at least one child aged 17 or younger

What is Guaranteed Income?

Guaranteed income is a monthly cash payment given directly to families. Emerging research suggests that when we give unrestricted cash aid directly to parents, we support their ability to take care of their families. Instead of worrying about how to budget limited resources, families can rely on a stable source of income and focus on meeting their goals to thrive. Guaranteed income offers autonomy and self-determination, and recognizes that a one-size-fits-all approach is antiquated and rooted in distrust. It also offers a model to reimagine economic and social systems that can create cycles of prosperity and lift all communities.

For more information contact:

Blake Roberts Crall, MFF Program Manager
broberts23@wisc.edu or 608-515-8047