We work to develop, protect, and expand vital policies that alleviate hardship and ensure economic stability for people nationwide.
A father hugs his son in the family RV, October 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Getty/John Moore)
What We're Doing
Ensure an equitable recovery from COVID-19
The best opportunity we have to break the cycle of poverty is to make sure no one gets left behind now. To avoid a repeat of the slow recovery seen after the Great Recession, we are building support for race-conscious investments and policies that center those most affected by the pandemic.
Modernize and repair the safety net
The safety net underpins our economy, but it must provide sufficient and accessible support. We are working on ideas to address harsh restrictions in cash assistance programs while building pathways to broader access to housing, food, and other crucial supports at the state and federal level.
Reduce child poverty
The expanded child tax credit has already seen great success in reducing hardship among families with children in 2021, but we will fight to make it permanent alongside other policies to support families and children.
How Weak Safety Net Policies Exacerbate Regional and Racial Inequality
While all low-income individuals and families, particularly those of color, struggle to avoid falling into poverty, some receive less support solely because of where they live.
CAP’s Poverty to Prosperity team works with nonpartisan organizations and coalitions throughout the poverty policy space by coordinating research and advocacy efforts to sway public opinion and influence legislation that would help those in need. Some of the team’s closest partners are listed below.
Women, especially women of color, in the United States are more likely to live in poverty than men, and they need robust, targeted solutions to ensure their long-term economic security.
Robin Bleiweis, Diana Boesch, Alexandra Cawthorne Gaines
News You Can Use: Research Roundup for Re-Entry Advocates
This fact sheet summarizes key research findings on the far-reaching consequences that even a minor criminal record can have on individuals, families, communities, and the economy, as well as research on policies designed to mitigate these consequences.
Rachel West, Rebecca Vallas, Phil Hernandez, 1 MoreSharon Dietrich
Fact Sheets: President Trump’s FY 2019 Budget Harms Nearly Every Community Across the Country
Trump’s budget is an unmitigated disaster for everyday Americans—including women, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, communities of color, and more.
Eliza Schultz, Katherine Gallagher Robbins, Rejane Frederick, 7 MoreSilva Mathema, Connor Maxwell, Heidi Schultheis, Anusha Ravi, Leila Schochet, Leonard Scott IV, Shabab Ahmed Mirza
State ID Card Policies for LGBTQ Youths Experiencing Homelessness
Expanding access to state-issued identification for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness could create opportunities and improve their safety and well-being.
By enhancing the Child Tax Credit, policymakers can substantially reduce child poverty, increase family economic security, and invest in our nation’s next generation. Melissa Boteach is the Vice President of the Poverty to Prosperity Program at the Center for American Progress.
A Plan to Improve Unemployment Protections in America
A new proposal would update unemployment insurance and establish a Jobseeker’s Allowance. Its recommendations would strengthen the nation’s workforce development system, protect families from unemployment, and fortify the American economy against the next recession.
