Local government is uniquely positioned to pioneer innovative and practical solutions to challenges, like economic security, mobility, poverty and inequality, that often seem intractable at the state and federal level. One of these solutions is providing unrestricted cash directly to residents. Recognizing the urgent need, local governments across the country are testing basic income — a regular and unconditional cash payment provided to members of a community with no strings attached and no work requirements.

Basic Income and Local Government; A Guide to Municipal Pilots consolidates learning and spotlights principles, insights, and emerging practices to guide municipal leaders and public-private partnerships interested in designing basic income programs that are ethical, equitable, rigorous, informative, and consequential for local, state and national policymaking. It updates our collective learning since Basic Income in Cities: A Guide to City Experiments and Pilot Projects was published in 2018.