UpLift Final Findings Event
In celebration of UpLift – The Central Iowa Basic Income Pilot’s final findings being released, the community gathered on June 9, 2026 to hear the study’s results and view “Room to Breathe: The Story of UpLift”. Attendees learned how a basic income reduced stress, bolstered agency, and reignited a spark of hope for families, creating a path toward economic mobility.
Key research findings included:
- The $500 was causally associated with increased goal-direction, motivation, and increases in participants’ sense of mattering.
- Experience of unconditional assistance fostered participant trust.
- Unconditional support made people feel visible, valued for their hard work ethic, and that someone in the community thought enough of them to offer this type of support.
- Additional support provide opportunity to restore their parental dignity by having ability to invest their time and resources into their family.
Room to Breathe: The Story of UpLift
Check out the recording of the event!
Download the Event’s Resources
Lessons Learned: UpLift – The Central Iowa Basic Income Pilot
The Project Coordination Team learned many things through the implementation of the pilot and by being the contact point for participants. Here’s a summary document of the main takeaways from participant recruitment, onboarding, and the personal stories of those who shared their lived experiences with the pilot.
Check out UPenn’s Research Findings
The pilot’s research team at The Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the University of Pennsylvania created three briefs that focus on a different aspect of the study’s results which includes:
- Work Ethic, Affordability, and Nested Financial Logic in Central Iowa
- Responsive Caregiving and Basic Income
- Health, Hope and Basic Income
Click below to access the study’s results, you can find the three reports under the ‘White Paper & Reports’ section
English