Fiscal Note
Pending
Title
Accepting the report of the UPenn Center for Guaranteed Income Research on the ‘Madison Forward Fund’ Program and Adjourning Sine Die the Madison Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Advisory Task Force (Citywide)
Body
WHEREAS, In the Summer of 2020, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway became a member of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a collaborative effort between former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and the Economic Security Project; and
WHEREAS, RES-20-00537 - “Calling for Emergency Money to the People to provide critical relief to American families during the COVID-19 crisis and until our economy recovers; and calling on Congress to support and pass ongoing, direct cash payments” was enacted by the Madison Common Council on August 7, 2020; and
WHEREAS, RES-21-00157 - “Creating the Madison Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Advisory Task Force to provide community-sourced input, guidance, and expertise in assisting the management of Madison’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Program” (“Task Force”) established a City-housed task force to assist in advising the Madison Forward Fund Program; and
WHEREAS the Task Force convened eighteen (18) times between June 2021 and October 2023, and assisted with making decisions on program design, eligibility, and rollout; and
WHEREAS, the Madison Forward Fund operated from September 2022 - August 2023 and provided $500/mo for 12mo to 155 household in Madison, WI; and
WHEREAS, UPenn Center for Guaranteed Income Research published a report on the Madison Forward Fund in April 2025, ‘The American Guaranteed Income Studies: Madison, Wisconsin’ that illustrated positive effects for Madison Forward Fund Program recipients, including:
- Income: Six months after the Madison Forward Fund ended, Madison Forward Fund participants annual income was significantly higher than that of the control group, who did not receive a guaranteed income from the program
- Financial Resilience: At the start of the program, Madison Forward Fund participants' ability to handle a $400 emergency expense was significantly less than the control group (those that did not receive the guaranteed income). But this finding reversed over time and at 12 and 18 months, the ability of Madison Forward Fund participants to handle such an expense was significantly higher compared to the control group.
- Mattering: Madison Forward Fund participants reported a significant increase on the Adult Mattering Scale for Reliance (i.e., the extent to which others rely on them) at 6 and 12 months and Importance (i.e., how valued and respected participants feel) at 12 months; and
WHEREAS, the Madison Forward Fund inspired a new iteration of the program, launched as the ‘Madison Forward Fund 2.0’, and which ran from March 2025 to February 2026 under the management of the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness and provided $500/mo for 12mo to 42 women, mothers, and birthing people;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Madison Common Council accepts the report of the UPenn Center for Guaranteed Income Research titled ‘The American Guaranteed Income Studies: Madison, Wisconsin’; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Madison Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Advisory Task Force has completed its work and now adjourns sine die.