We are thrilled to release the evaluation for the 5th Magnolia Mother’s Trust cohort that wrapped up earlier this fall. Building on the research from previous cohorts and from other guaranteed income programs across the country, this new report continues to reinforce that cash, paired with family-driven supports, provides pathways for mothers and their children to not only achieve financial stability but also have the freedom and agency to make their own choices that enhance their overall quality of life.
However, with so much research already available on cash-based programs, we wanted to make sure that this year’s evaluation was adding something new to the field. This year, we took a deeper dive with seven families in the cohort, who graciously shared their time, stories, and experiences during the program with our evaluation team.
These seven case studies provide more color and context to the experience of MMT than past overviews and prove how essential it is for programs to be grounded in trust and choice. As you read through the case studies, there are many commonalities – mothers prioritizing their children, decreases in financial stress, and more hope for the future. But you’ll also notice that the way each mother spent their funds and engaged with the program depended on their circumstances and specific needs. Each participant was able to meet her family’s needs and set her own priorities during the 12 months of the program.
Using the case study model, we were able to more directly feature the voices of children in this report. The report features four teenage daughters of case study participants demonstrating not only how the resources and experiences of MMT intersected with their own lives but also how systemic failures and policy issues – especially the lack of funding for education – continued to present roadblocks toward the ultimate dreams they have for their lives.
This report is grounded in the new holistic prosperity framework we released in early September. This framework, developed in partnership with our families, laid out best practices and metrics for cash-based programs and policies based on our families’ own definitions of wealth and prosperity. Throughout the case studies and reports, we see how MMT shaped the experiences of mothers across four interconnected domains: financial stability, social capital, dynamic well-being, and time autonomy.
Finally, this report is unequivocally clear about the need for policy change to dismantle systemic obstacles to ensure all mothers have the support and opportunities needed to maintain their progress beyond the program. Based in the belief that mothers are the experts on their own lives and experiences, this report includes four policy demands directly from our mothers. In both the report and case study narratives, you will find letters to local, state, and federal leaders where mothers share their own stories and recommendations for changes. Additional quotes, stories, and statistics further prove how essential these systemic changes are.
In addition, mothers share how their time in MMT inspired them to become more civically engaged and take action on issues they care about within their own communities.
While these are some important highlights, we hope you’ll take time to read through both the evaluation and the case study narratives. We are consistently inspired and motivated in our work and mission by the stories of our families, and we hope they will spur you to be advocates for trust-based, family-driven supports in your own community, too. Finally, thank you, as always, to the amazing team at Social Insights who executed and created this incredible evaluation that centers our mothers and honors their stories so well!