Income and Wealth

This report explores public banking as a critical tool for advancing a rights-based economy grounded in racial justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and environmental sustainability. The authors argue that public banks, when governed by democratic principles and equity-centered mandates, can challenge the extractive logic of private finance and help meet collective needs.

This report argues for the integration of guaranteed income (GI) policies with public banking initiatives to create a more effective and equitable system for cash transfers in the United States. It highlights the limitations of the existing private financial infrastructure in distributing pandemic-era relief funds and proposes public banking as a solution to ensure timely, low-cost, and secure disbursements of guaranteed income payments.

The In Her Hands (IHH) guaranteed income initiative provided $20,400 over two years to 654 low-income women in three Georgia communities: Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, College Park, and the rural Clay-Randolph-Terrell counties. Rooted in the “Black Women Best” framework, the program aimed to address long-standing racial and gender inequities through flexible, community-informed direct cash transfers.

This report examines how public banks, established by state or local governments to serve the public interest, can address systemic racial wealth inequality perpetuated by commercial banks. It explores how public banks can responsibly manage public deposits to expand fair banking access and build wealth in historically marginalized communities.

The Closing the Wealth Gap Stakeholder Report examines the deep-rooted barriers that continue to prevent economic mobility for historically marginalized communities. It explores how discriminatory lending, wage disparities, and limited access to capital have widened the racial wealth gap,  and offers a framework for policymakers, advocates, and community leaders to drive meaningful change.

The Chicago Future Fund (CFF) is the first guaranteed income pilot program in the United States specifically for formerly incarcerated individuals. The program was first launched in 2021, providing monthly cash payments of $500 to 30 post-incarcerated residents of West Garfield Park.

Dēmos and New Economy Project explore how public banking can expand opportunities for communities of color to build shared generational and community wealth.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) investigates the far-reaching consequences of the federal tipped minimum wage, which has remained stagnant at $2.13 per hour since 1991.

The In Her Hands (IHH) initiative launched in 2022 via a partnership between the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund and GiveDirectly and provided guaranteed income to 654 low-income Black women in urban, rural, and suburban areas of Georgia over two years.

This study examines the effects of a two-year unconditional cash transfer program, the Compton Pledge, on low-income households in Compton, California. Between 2021 and 2023, 695 households received cash transfers averaging $500 per month, while 1,402 households formed a control group.

The California Reparations Task Force, established in 2020 under Assembly Bill 3121, examined the historical and present-day impacts of slavery and racial discrimination on African Americans in California, making recommendations for remedies and educating the public.

Following California Governor Gavin Newsom's 2019 apology for genocide and historical injustices against Native populations, the State established the California Truth and Healing Council (THC) to create a holistic understanding of the historical relationship between California Native Americans and the State and make recommendations aimed at reparation and restoration.