Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
Blog Posts, and Publications
Start at the Beginning: A Person-Centered Design and Evaluation Framework for Policies to Boost Household Cash Flow and Beyond
In recognition of the growing momentum and interest from U.S-based policymakers in designing public benefits that boost household cash flow and provide U.S. families with the foundational stability from which they can thrive and progress toward longer term financial security, this paper provides policymakers with a new tool: a Person-Centered Policy Design and Evaluation framework, based on the lived experience and expertise of the people these policies are intended to support.
This framework is the product of an ongoing partnership between Springboard To Opportunities (“Springboard”), a non-profit organization in Jackson, MS and Aspen FSP to “center the margins” in policy design and evaluation, taking a people-centric approach to institutionalize the voice and influence of impacted communities at every step of the policymaking process.
In April 2021, Springboard kicked off its third year providing $1,000 per month to women participating in the Magnolia Mother’s Trust (MMT), the longest running guaranteed income program in the United States and the only initiative specifically targeting Black women with extremely low incomes living in affordable housing. This framework distills information from interviews and focus groups with dozens of women served by Springboard from 2016 to the present with direct knowledge of and experience with programs to boost household cash flow and merges these unique insights with research providing further context and directions for responsive reforms.
Finally, the paper applies this framework to three policies specifically designed to boost the household incomes of families with children – the expanded Child Tax Credit, the original Child Tax Credit, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)- to see how well each meets performance goals of a person-centered approach to such policies.
Mike Wilkening’s work as a public servant has followed a simple philosophy: government in service of its people. In this blog, he shares more about his leadership approach and his position as an Aspen FSP Fellow.
Most households experience at least one financial shock in a given year, but there are few comprehensive solutions to help them. How can we solve this persistent challenge?
Households need tools that help them afford everyday life and build long-term security. Too often, policy systems fail to respond to both of these needs and instead prioritize one goal over the other.
