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Direct Cash Payments Inject More Trust into Philanthropy

Anna Luo

January 28, 2021 |

The American Leader |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Cash payments are an effective way to address the economic hardships associated with the pandemic. Philanthropic efforts to distribute aid in the form of cash are relying on local organizations that have the community presence to identify recipients and distribute the money. The popularity of cash aid programs and their promising results have pushed back against the narrative of misuse of money by recipients.

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Facing eviction, residents struggle to find help

Dan Polletta

January 26, 2021 |

The Land |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Slavic Village, Ohio

The Slavic Village Development, a non-profit community development agency, is helping to connect residents who are facing eviction during the coronavirus pandemic with financial assistance. The organization provides funds to those who don't qualify for CARES act funds and works to eliminate other barriers for low-income residents – such as paperwork requirements and housing inspection.

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Planting crops — and carbon, too

Gabriel Popkin Gabriella Demczuk

January 22, 2021 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Rock Hall, Maryland

Maryland farmer Trey Hill became the first seller in a tech startup’s carbon marketplace, paying him $115,000 for initiating regenerative farming practices. By introducing cover crops, he has been able to sequester about 8,000 tons of carbon in the soil, which then buyers can purchase the credits to offset the carbon they produce. If more farmers get on board, supporters say it can be a tangible solution to curbing climate change.

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Can a ‘Guaranteed Income' for Black Entrepreneurs Narrow the Wealth Gap?

Brentin Mock

January 15, 2021 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

A program in Oakland, California, is helping Black women-owned companies survive the economic downturn since the onset of the pandemic. Known as Runway, the financial innovation firm provides $1,000 a month without any conditions. The monthly income allows historically-marginalized entrepreneurs to focus on how to pivot in order to survive the pandemic. The decision to provide cash payments to this particular demographic was based on research that highlights the lack of financial security nets in the Black community that prevent business owners from relying on their friends and family in times of need.

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Jobs, Houses and Cows: China's Costly Drive to Erase Extreme Poverty

Keith Bradsher

December 31, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: China

The Chinese government is providing money, livestock, and better homes to successfully help break the cycle of poverty. $700 billion in loans and grants have gone toward the rural poverty alleviation program in addition to investments in infrastructure and job creation. The program is intended for those experiencing extreme poverty in the countryside. Critics predict that the program is unsustainably expensive but the short-term results are promising.

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A Clever Strategy to Distribute Covid Aid—With Satellite Data

Tom Simonite

December 17, 2020 |

Wired |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Togo

To quickly distribute money to poverty-stricken areas in Togo during the coronavirus pandemic, the country's government turned to mobile cash payments. Working with a nonprofit and UC Berkeley’s Center for Effective Global Action, Togo established a system of mobile payments to reach 30,000 of Togo’s poorest people who were identified via satellite imagery and image analysis algorithms.

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The Radical Idea of Making Sure Everybody Has Enough Money to Live On

Laura Paddison

December 01, 2020 |

The Huffington Post |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya

The results of a universal basic income (UBI) program in Kenya show the positive ripple effect of giving everyone money on a consistent basis over the course of several years. Recipients have been able to lift themselves out of poverty, start businesses, and invest in communal projects such as plumbing and better housing. Improved mental and physical health was also a major outcome of the initiative.

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How College Students Are Helping Each Other Survive

Ezra Marcus

November 23, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Students across the country are dealing with food and housing insecurity, and financial loss, conditions that have been exacerbated because since the pandemic. In response, students in some colleges and universities created mutual-aid networks, raising and distribution thousands of dollars to their peers. “Students continue to lead the fight to address their basic needs.”

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Colorado's new family leave law could transform fatherhood

Andrew Wear

November 09, 2020 |

Struggles from Below Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Iceland

Icelandic parents each get three months leave, paid at 80% of their salary, to be used within 18 months of a child’s birth. Parents also get an additional three months leave that they can split up as they choose. The “use it or lose it” leave is used by about 80% of fathers. Shared caregiving responsibilities deepen fathers’ bonds with their children and, along with other generous family benefits, has helped Iceland achieve the world’s smallest gender gap by enabling mothers to remain and advance in the workforce. It also shapes children’s experience of gender norms. Colorado recently passed a similar law.

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It Took a Group of Black Farmers to Start Fixing Land Ownership Problems in Detroit

Rhonda J. Smith

November 06, 2020 |

Planet Detroit |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

Two urban farmers launched a GoFundMe and raised $55,000 to help provide land security to Black farmers in Detroit. Through the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund, they will select applicants to grow crops for five years and provide technical assistance to growers who want to purchase their own land. The amount raised is not enough to help everyone who needs it, but organizers hope city programs make land more accessible to neighborhood residents.

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