Millions of people live in poverty in this country. They suffer not only material deprivation, but also the hardships and diminished life prospects that come with being poor. Childhood poverty often means growing up without the advantages of a stable home, high-quality schools, or consistent nutrition. Adults in poverty are often hampered by inadequate skills and education, leading to limited wages and job opportunities. And the high costs of housing, healthcare, and other necessities often mean that people must choose between basic needs, sometimes forgoing essentials like meals or medicine. In recognition of these challenges, The Hamilton Project has commissioned fourteen innovative, evidence-based antipoverty proposals. These proposals are authored by a diverse set of leading scholars, each tackling a specific aspect of the poverty crisis.

Read the full Introduction by Melissa S. Kearney, Benjamin H. Harris, and Karen L. Anderson »

Download All The Proposals or Highlights Below:


The Hamilton Project at Brookings

POLICIES TO ADDRESS POVERTY IN AMERICA

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PROMOTING EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

SUPPORTING DISADVANTAGED YOUTH

BUILDING SKILLS

IMPROVING SAFETY NET AND WORK SUPPORT

Expanding Preschool Access for Disadvantaged Children

Elizabeth U. Cascio and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach

Addressing the Parenting Divide to Promote Early Childhood Development for Disadvantaged Children

Ariel Kalil

Reducing Unintended Pregnancies for Low-Income Women

Isabel Sawhill and Joanna Venator

2 out of 3 Americans will live in poverty for at least a year at some point in their lives.

Designing Effective Mentoring Programs for Disadvantaged Youth

Phillip B. Levine

Expanding Summer Employment Opportunities for Low-Income Youth

Amy Ellen Schwartz and Jacob Leos-Urbel

Addressing the Academic Barriers to Higher Education

Bridget Terry Long

In 2012,
15% of Americans

30.4 million adults & 16.1 million children

lived in poverty.

Expanding Apprenticeship Opportunities in the United States

Robert I. Lerman

Improving Employment Outcomes for Disadvantaged Students

Harry J. Holzer

Providing Disadvantaged Workers with Skills to Succeed in the Labor Market

Sheena McConnell, Irma Perez-Johnson, and Jillian Berk

Children experience the highest rates of poverty
in the
United States.

Supporting Low-Income Workers through Refundable Child-Care Credits

James P. Zilliak

Building on the Success of the Earned Income Tax Credit

Hilary Hoynes

Encouraging Work Sharing to Reduce Unemployment

Katharine G. Abraham and Susan N. Houseman

Designing Thoughtful Minimum Wage Policy at the State and Local Levels

Arindrajit Dube

Smarter, Better, Faster: The Potential for Predictive Analytics and Rapid-Cycle Evaluation to Improve Program Development and Outcomes

Scott Cody and Andrew Asher