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Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, and read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters. For media inquiries, please email us.

Improving Take-Up of Tax Benefits in the United States

In the United States, many people who are eligible for social and economic benefits do not claim those benefits. Researchers partnered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to test the effectiveness of different messages to taxpayers designed to encourage them to claim certain tax benefits.

Improving Women’s Labor and Welfare Outcomes through Microfinance in Uganda

Researchers in rural Western Uganda tested whether a microfinance program can help women borrowers switch out of subsistence agriculture to other labor activities, such as entrepreneurship or small-scale trading. While microloans helped women switch into service-based jobs including small-scale...

Designing Incentives to Combat Urban Diabetes in India

In partnership with the Government of Tamil Nadu, researchers evaluated the impact of incentivizing and monitoring walking on exercise and health. Incentives increased walking and improved health, as measured by risk factors for diabetes and by mental health.

The Impacts of In-kind Food Transfers versus Electronic Vouchers on Poverty Reduction in Indonesia

Elan Satriawan
SUDARNO SUDARNO
Sudarno Sumarto
In partnership with the Government of Indonesia, researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to compare the efficacy of vouchers versus in-kind transfers in reducing poverty and improving program delivery. The reform led to an increase in assistance received by eligible households, due to improved...

Gender-specific managerial training program and firm productivity in Colombia

Researchers are evaluating the impact of providing a gender-specific managerial training program on career advancement prospects for women and workplace productivity.

Nudges and Improved Communication to Encourage Medicaid Take-Up in Oregon, United States

Ginny Garcia-Alexander
Margarette (Maggie) A. Weller
Bill Wright
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial to study the impact of improved communication and low-cost behaviorally informed “nudges” on Medicaid take-up. The low-cost interventions significantly increased enrollment.

Intensive Case Management to Overcome Barriers to Self-Sufficiency in the United States

Researchers worked with the City of Rochester and local social service providers to evaluate the Bridges to Success program, in which participants were paired with mentors who helped them move towards economic self-sufficiency.

Increasing Women’s Local Political Participation Through Top-Down and Bottom-Up Training in Indonesia

A researcher evaluated the impact of empowerment training for female citizens and training for male council chairs on women's participation in neighborhood associations, known as rukun tetangga (RT) in Malang, East Java, Indonesia.