'Cash Plus': Linking Cash Transfers to Services and Sectors

Cash transfers have been successful in reducing food insecurity, increasing consumption, building resiliency against economic shocks, improving productivity and increasing school enrolment. In recognition of this evidence on their widespread positive impacts on children’s and families’ wellbeing, and their cost-effective and expandable design, programmes have grown in popularity among governments, NGOs, and more recently among development actors in humanitarian settings. Despite the many successes of cash transfer programmes, they can also fall short in achieving longer-term and second-order impacts related to nutrition, learning and health outcomes. A recent study highlights that so-called ‘Cash Plus’ programmes, which offer additional components or linkages to existing services on top of regular cash payments, may help address such shortcomings.