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Social Income

Entrepreneurship

Starting a business takes capital, time, and the ability to fail without starving. In extreme poverty, none of those exist. Steady, monthly income gives aspiring entrepreneurs a foundation to take the first step.

Relevant studies

Cash grants drive youth entrepreneurship in Uganda

$400 grants to young Ugandans increased work hours by 17% and earnings by 38% after four years.

University of Chicago / NBER, 2020

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Cash transfers expand microenterprises in Southern Africa

Government cash transfer programs in Malawi and Zambia led households to expand agricultural microenterprises, with adults reallocating labor and hiring workers to grow their businesses.

UNICEF / University of North Carolina, 2020

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Cash grants spur self-employment in Ethiopia

A $300 grant to underemployed Ethiopian youth increased self-employment earnings in the first year, showing that even small amounts can unlock entrepreneurial activity.

University of Chicago / University of Oxford, 2022

Read study

Survey results from entrepreneurial recipients

Question 1 (Multiple choice)

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

229 responses in 249 surveys

Follow-up question for 144 individuals who selected more than one category

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

144 responses in 249 surveys

Question 2 (Single choice)

Do you have any dependents?

390 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 361 individuals who said Yes

How many people depend on you financially?

361 responses in 397 surveys

Question 3 (Single choice)

What is your marital status?

388 responses in 397 surveys

Question 4 (Single choice)

Where do you live?

373 responses in 397 surveys

Question 5 (Single choice)

Are you currently attending school?

138 responses in 397 surveys

Question 6 (Single choice)

What is your current employment status?

393 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 114 individuals who said Not employed

Are you currently looking for work?

114 responses in 397 surveys

Question 7 (Single choice)

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

393 responses in 397 surveys

Question 8 (Single choice)

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

139 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 67 individuals who said Yes

Did this happen last week?

67 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 39 individuals who said Yes

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

39 responses in 397 surveys

Question 9 (Single choice)

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

393 responses in 397 surveys

Question 10 (Single choice)

Are you currently able to save money?

394 responses in 397 surveys

Question 11 (Single choice)

Are you in debt?

276 responses in 279 surveys

Follow-up question for 78 individuals who said Yes

Are you able to repay the debt?

78 responses in 279 surveys

Question 12 (Single choice)

Is anyone in your household in debt?

277 responses in 279 surveys

Follow-up question for 70 individuals who said Yes

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

70 responses in 279 surveys

Question 13 (Single choice)

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

277 responses in 279 surveys

Question 14 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

27 responses in 30 surveys

Question 15 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

229 responses in 249 surveys

Question 16 (Single choice)

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

105 responses in 118 surveys

Question 17 (Free text)

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

47 responses in 50 surveys

Question 18 (Single choice)

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

47 responses in 50 surveys

Follow-up question for 17 individuals who said No

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

17 responses in 50 surveys

Question 19 (Single choice)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

47 responses in 50 surveys

Follow-up question for 47 individuals who said Yes

How so?

0 responses in 50 surveys

Follow-up question for 0 individuals who said No

Can you tell us why?

0 responses in 50 surveys

Question 20 (Single choice)

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

112 responses in 118 surveys

Question 1 (Multiple choice)

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

229 responses in 249 surveys

Follow-up question for 144 individuals who selected more than one category

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

144 responses in 249 surveys

Question 2 (Single choice)

Do you have any dependents?

390 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 361 individuals who said Yes

How many people depend on you financially?

361 responses in 397 surveys

Question 3 (Single choice)

What is your marital status?

388 responses in 397 surveys

Question 4 (Single choice)

Where do you live?

373 responses in 397 surveys

Question 5 (Single choice)

Are you currently attending school?

138 responses in 397 surveys

Question 6 (Single choice)

What is your current employment status?

393 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 114 individuals who said Not employed

Are you currently looking for work?

114 responses in 397 surveys

Question 7 (Single choice)

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

393 responses in 397 surveys

Question 8 (Single choice)

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

139 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 67 individuals who said Yes

Did this happen last week?

67 responses in 397 surveys

Follow-up question for 39 individuals who said Yes

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

39 responses in 397 surveys

Question 9 (Single choice)

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

393 responses in 397 surveys

Question 10 (Single choice)

Are you currently able to save money?

394 responses in 397 surveys

Question 11 (Single choice)

Are you in debt?

276 responses in 279 surveys

Follow-up question for 78 individuals who said Yes

Are you able to repay the debt?

78 responses in 279 surveys

Question 12 (Single choice)

Is anyone in your household in debt?

277 responses in 279 surveys

Follow-up question for 70 individuals who said Yes

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

70 responses in 279 surveys

Question 13 (Single choice)

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

277 responses in 279 surveys

Question 14 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

27 responses in 30 surveys

Question 15 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

229 responses in 249 surveys

Question 16 (Single choice)

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

105 responses in 118 surveys

Question 17 (Free text)

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

47 responses in 50 surveys

Question 18 (Single choice)

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

47 responses in 50 surveys

Follow-up question for 17 individuals who said No

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

17 responses in 50 surveys

Question 19 (Single choice)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

47 responses in 50 surveys

Follow-up question for 47 individuals who said Yes

How so?

0 responses in 50 surveys

Follow-up question for 0 individuals who said No

Can you tell us why?

0 responses in 50 surveys

Question 20 (Single choice)

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

112 responses in 118 surveys

Connect

Resources

Our work

Recipient app

Entrepreneurship

Relevant studies

Cash grants drive youth entrepreneurship in Uganda

Cash transfers expand microenterprises in Southern Africa

Cash grants spur self-employment in Ethiopia

Survey results from entrepreneurial recipients

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

Do you have any dependents?

How many people depend on you financially?

What is your marital status?

Where do you live?

Are you currently attending school?

What is your current employment status?

Are you currently looking for work?

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

Did this happen last week?

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

Are you currently able to save money?

Are you in debt?

Are you able to repay the debt?

Is anyone in your household in debt?

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

How so?

Can you tell us why?

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

Do you have any dependents?

How many people depend on you financially?

What is your marital status?

Where do you live?

Are you currently attending school?

What is your current employment status?

Are you currently looking for work?

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

Did this happen last week?

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

Are you currently able to save money?

Are you in debt?

Are you able to repay the debt?

Is anyone in your household in debt?

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

How so?

Can you tell us why?

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

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