Guaranteed income—regular, unconditional cash payments designed to reduce economic insecurity—has emerged as one of the most promising pathways to abolish poverty in the United States. But as communities across the country pilot these programs, a major challenge remains: our current financial systems often fail the very people guaranteed income is meant to support.

Enter public banking—a growing movement to create government-owned financial institutions that are explicitly built to serve the public good. With the right guiding mandates and structures, public banks have the potential not only to solve the logistical hurdles of distributing guaranteed income at scale, but to power a more just, resilient, and inclusive economy. At a time when the federal government is slashing funding for local action on climate and infrastructure, public banks offer an opportunity to reclaim public power to shape our economic future.

Join us for a virtual roundtable to explore the possibilities that lie at the intersection of the guaranteed income and public banking movements. We’ll share new research from the Institute’s Policies for Action Guaranteed Income Research Hub, hear from leading scholars and advocates, and begin imagining how to create the financial infrastructure to support dignity, equity, and collective well-being.