Motivated by the idea that the best way to close the wealth gap is direct cash assistance, guaranteed income pilot programs providing families with unrestricted cash payments have launched across the U.S. The California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, a $35 million program launched by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) with the support of Social Finance, is one of these programs. In September 2022, The New York Times reported on CDSS’s program and others across the country.