Cash for kids: can $333 a month boost a baby's brain?

NCT ID NCT03593356

Ongoing Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of California, Irvine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study is testing whether giving low-income families extra cash each month helps children's language, thinking, and brain development. One thousand mothers of newborns below the poverty line receive either $333 or $20 per month for over six years. Researchers then compare the children's vocabulary, attention, memory, and brain activity at ages 4, 6, and 8.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: monthly cash gift payments
What this could lead to: If it works, this could show that giving low-income families extra money directly helps children's language, thinking, and brain development.
What could go wrong: This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. Results may not apply to all families, and the cash gifts may not produce clear differences in child development.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT CHILD DEVELOPMENT HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY PROCESSES

Contacts and locations

Locations

12 hospitals in the following four metropolitan areas: New York, Omaha, New Orleans, and Twin Cities

New York, New York, 10027, United States

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