On-Demand Assistance: Experimental Evidence from Indonesia

This article evaluates Indonesia’s nationwide on-demand temporary assistance program using experimental evidence. Through 20 lotteries selecting over 11 million beneficiaries, the study finds that while administrative records show low take-up and minimal impacts on employment or consumption, surveyed applicants with functioning phones report high take-up and higher incomes. The results suggest that flexible assistance programs can increase reported receipt but also highlight design features that may hinder effective coverage.