Session: Exploring the Denver Basic Income Project: A Model for Collaborative Research (Society for Social Work and Research 29th Annual Conference)

The Denver Basic Income Project (DBIP) represents a pioneering guaranteed income program aimed at shifting control, power, and decision-making into the hands of service participants. In this symposium, we provide methods and key findings of DBIP, focusing on the collaborative efforts of 19 partners and DBIP staff.

Paper one of this symposium offers a comprehensive description of our decision to undertake a combined intervention research and program evaluation approach. We discuss the rationale behind this choice and highlight its advantages over traditional intervention research methodologies. By adopting this approach, we aim to provide a rigorous evaluation of DBIP's impact while maintaining a focus on collaborative research efforts. Community collaborators are co-authors and presenters on the first symposium paper.

The qualitative findings presented in paper two shed light on the lived experiences and perceptions of participants involved in DBIP. Through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, we uncover the nuanced effects of guaranteed income on individuals' lives, highlighting its potential to empower marginalized communities. Key findings from the DBIP qualitative research demonstrate reductions in stress and future oriented thinking that can come with a guaranteed income.

In paper three, we present quantitative results derived from comprehensive data analysis. By employing robust statistical methods, we quantify the impact of DBIP on key outcome measures, providing empirical evidence to support its effectiveness as a social policy intervention. One of the key findings from the quantitative results are that participants that secured a guaranteed income also demonstrated higher rates of full-time employment–going against a common critique that guaranteed income will reduce motivation for work.

Together, these symposium papers offer a multifaceted exploration of DBIP and guaranteed income for people experiencing homelessness. Guaranteed income and DBIP are showcased as a model for anti-poverty collaborative research. Despite not following a traditional intervention research design, DBIP has yielded powerful results that can inform both practice and policy. Moreover, its success underscores the importance of local context and collaboration in shaping effective social interventions. Through continued community collaboration and research, DBIP serves as a beacon of innovation and inclusivity.