We are now roughly 15 years into the new era of experimental evaluation of programs to fight extreme poverty. It has been a wild ride, as experimentalists have applied randomized controlled trials through a long backlog of programs—representing billions of dollars of annual spending—that had previously been evaluated using flawed methods or simply assumed to work. Among all the insights and controversies from this new approach, one of the more positive surprises has been cash transfers:…

To read this article and start a full year of unlimited online access, subscribe now!

Already a subscriber?

Need to register for your premium online access,
which is included with your paid subscription?

Support SSIR’s coverage of cross-sector solutions to global challenges. 
Help us further the reach of innovative ideas. Donate today.

Read more stories by Chris Blattman, Michael Faye, Paul Niehaus, Chris Udry & Dean Karlan.