The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic include loss of employment and income, higher food prices, and other barriers to food access. This has resulted in a rise in the dollar amount of benefits issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture food…

Income inequality has grown over the last decade, along with changes in the safety net, demographics, and income reporting. In this working paper released this month by the U.S. Census Bureau, trends in material hardship are examined in seven…

This discussion paper on a case study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta studies the concept of benefits cliffs, which happen when earnings are offset by the loss of public benefits, resulting in a financial disadvantage to working. The study…

The National Governors Association (NGA) produced a white paper to outline the challenges persons with disabilities face entering and maintaining employment. Drawn from NGA’s participation in the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED)…

This report from Prosperity Now provides information about why creating savings penalties towards welfare programs such as SNAP and SSI actually harm families instead of aiding them. Studies have shown that low-income families with savings are able…

In this paper, the authors highlight evidence in support of investments in both parents and children during the paired sensitive period of early life and the transition to parenting. A sensitive period is a specific and limited time when the…

The Foundation for Reentry and Employment Project released the Integrated Reentry and Employment Strategies white paper, which provides guidance to policymakers, agency and program administrators, and practitioners working in the reentry and…

The Office of Financial Empowerment within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently released a white paper titled "Financial Empowerment Training for Social Service Programs: A Scan of Community-Based Initiatives." The paper…

The University of Kentucky's Center for Poverty Research released a discussion paper that explores whether the safety net reduces food insecurity for families and children who receive any of the five major safety net programs: Temporary Assistance…

From the Indiana University, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, this white paper focuses on the Great Recession and how it has impacted poverty in the United States. Authors provide an overview of poverty trends both nationally and…