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The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states

Last registered on November 18, 2020
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0006750
Initial registration date
November 17, 2020

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
November 18, 2020, 9:35 AM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
United States of America
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Elizabeth Rhodes
Affiliation
Open Research Lab
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Eva Vivalt
PI Affiliation
University of Toronto
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PI Name
Sarah Miller
PI Affiliation
University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Contact Investigator
PI Name
David Broockman
PI Affiliation
University of California, Berkeley
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PI Name
Alexander Bartik
PI Affiliation
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2019-10-01
End date
2025-10-31
Keywords
Behavior, Finance & Microfinance, Health, Labor, Other
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Abstract
The regular provision of unconditional cash transfers to individuals is a tactic to fight poverty that has attracted significant interest from researchers and policymakers. Despite this interest, many fundamental questions about the effects of receiving sustained unconditional cash transfers remain. In this randomized controlled trial, 1,000 individuals will receive $1,000 per month for 3 years. A control group of 2,000 individuals who receive $50 per month will serve as the comparison group. The study offers an opportunity to inform both the debate over unconditional cash assistance and other questions about the effects of income that typically elude causal identification.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Bartik, Alexander et al. 2020. "The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states." AEA RCT Registry. November 18. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.6750-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The intervention in this study is an exogenous increase in income in the form of unconditional cash transfers. The transfers ($50 monthly for the control group and $1,000 monthly for the treatment group) will be delivered by the implementing non-profit organizations via direct deposit to the participants’ bank accounts.
Intervention (Hidden)
Intervention Start Date
2020-11-18
Intervention End Date
2023-10-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
See pre-analysis plan.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
See pre-analysis plan.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer.
Randomization Unit
Individual, but people who know each other are placed in the same cluster.
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
For the purposes of randomization, we formed clusters of individuals based on information that a small number of participants knew each other. We placed individuals who reported knowing each other into the same cluster, such that they would always receive the same treatment assignment. There are 20 of these clusters (18 clusters of 2 individuals and 2 clusters of 3 individuals), as well as 2,958 individuals who are considered their own cluster.
Sample size: planned number of observations
3,000 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
1,000 individuals in treatment (including 7 clusters of 2 individuals and 1 cluster of 3 individuals)
2,000 individuals in control (including 11 clusters of 2 individuals and 1 cluster of 3 individuals)
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Advarra
IRB Approval Date
2019-02-15
IRB Approval Number
Pro00032337
Analysis Plan

Analysis Plan Documents

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Material Hardship Outcomes

MD5: 470ea23e6665e11dfdd06dd538d0f80a

SHA1: 0c041041dcf1cbf5d02334b54138d31a406d66a2

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states – PAP for Income, expenditures and financial health outcomes

MD5: b49e7ba8a7746b754f77638ce0397dcf

SHA1: e37d5334d10334c87860f4d05b4257208a00f1ef

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of basic income: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Psychosocial Outcomes

MD5: f3ec8dace98ab888c127170d59299715

SHA1: 7d583c190280270f1fed750dee2289b3363a693c

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Mobility and Housing Outcomes

MD5: 0dcffaf88fe72ecd8a06b60a4f394e18

SHA1: 6c1e12ecbe5f8d61f3b13d0c44b81dfbb31550b9

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Time use outcomes

MD5: 28d760332a758dbaa29eb2561085a0de

SHA1: eb68a59f763ed8babc38d7442d8ca168336d8b63

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for effects on political and social attitudes

MD5: 78ef7e784836b698cdc3b164feeedda9

SHA1: ae414b28e74085e1cefe0851a923cb5c798fd102

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Intrahousehold Outcomes

MD5: 9cd16cfc2cc7ed316ce98c49910a79cc

SHA1: 06ada58d58d759c14efb0465ba663f8456f31fdb

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Health outcomes

MD5: 5f458c292890d0579dda773716a1cbcf

SHA1: 4d4b23b7de0976ef94c24cecb89053609c06117e

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states – PAP for Employment outcomes

MD5: c17488a580828d837a96ae9367567801

SHA1: 326eaf41c5880e8e0c0a24bc3efa99791cf9f3ee

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Outcomes Related to Executive Control, Concentration, and Time and Risk Preferences

MD5: 9bc5701835b5207cf66bc102243110aa

SHA1: 206e67df1c0855b31498b1eecdad62af0fa9aa53

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

“The causal effects of sustained unconditional cash transfers: Experimental evidence from two U.S. states” – PAP for Outcomes on Childbearing and Children

MD5: 1ca6a11d593c7adbba549fc027427a19

SHA1: cf8704d62a97d8ebd349b2bc7722ff333311709e

Uploaded At: November 17, 2020

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials