Abstract
Bolsa Familia, one of the largest conditional cash transfer programs, is often considered among the most successful poverty-alleviation initiatives in the world. Despite major strides in reducing poverty across Brazil since its launch in 2003, there are important limitations and variations in outcomes observed across and within different regions in Brazil. This research will seek to identify the underlying factors that contribute or inhibit the success in implementation and outcomes of the Bolsa Familia program, including factors such as municipal capacity, electoral motivations, and social services. Understanding fluctuations in success in implementation can inform strategies to provide and ensure sustained progress in poverty alleviation efforts in Brazil with potential generalizability for other countries as well.