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A guaranteed income is a monthly, cash payment given directly to individuals. It is unconditional, with no strings attached and no work requirements. A guaranteed income is meant to supplement, rather than replace, the existing social safety net and can be a tool for racial and gender equity.

Cash is the simplest yet most powerful way to do the most good for the most people in these uncertain times. It is powerful for three reasons. First, it moves quickly. Even with Treasury problems, 80 million American households have already received a check the government just mandated a couple weeks ago. Second, it allows for flexibility. No two American households are identical in their needs. While one will need funds for rent, others will need it for childcare, and yet others will need it for a laptop so their child can engage in distance learning. And of course, most families need something different every month. Third, many people are only partially covered by or completely left out of existing social safety net programs. Cash can help fill these gaps and ensure everybody who needs help gets it.

Budgets are moral documents, and it’s time for the U.S. government to prioritize everyday Americans and their economic dignity. There’s a number of ways to pay for guaranteed income, from a sovereign wealth fund in which citizens benefit from shared national resources like the Alaska Permanent Fund, to bringing tax rates on the wealthiest Americans to their 20th century historical averages.

There’s a number of guaranteed income pilots happening all across the country. New mayor-led pilots are launching all the time; see our interactive map for the latest MGI pilots.

More cash in people’s pockets keeps families financially secure and stimulates the local economy. Especially in the wake of COVID-19 and the ensuing recession, a guaranteed income will stimulate spending on Main Street and generate much-needed state and local revenue to drive the economic recovery across the country.

Cities are the laboratories of democracy, and mayors are closest to the communities they serve. Mayors see the real, everyday effects of economic insecurity and are the best equipped to advocate for their residents.

Cash is effective and immediate, but it is not a silver bullet. We cannot use it as the answer for everything from solving the climate crisis to repairing our broken healthcare system to addressing predicted job displacement from automation. We need meaningful, systemic change to our economy – and cash is just one part of that.