Unlocking the Power of Guaranteed Income in the DMV

Earlier this month, The Community Foundation gathered with guaranteed income advocates from across the region to discuss how to amplify the effects of guaranteed income pilots in the Greater Washington region.

“At The Community Foundation, we believe that guaranteed income is one of the best ways that we can combat poverty with dignity” The Community Foundation’s President & CEO Tonia Wellons shared. “That’s why we’re so excited to convene so many incredible changemakers in this space and discuss how we can continue this work in our region!”

The meeting brought together representatives from nine different guaranteed income across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, including Bread for the City’s Cash Rx, Arlington Community Foundation’s Arlington’s Guarantee, City of Alexandria’s ARISE, iF, a Foundation for Radical Possibility’s Let’s GO DMV!, My Sister’s Place’s RISE Trust, Fairfax County Economic Mobility Pilot, Montgomery County’s MoCoBoost, Mothers Outreach Network’s MotherUp, and The Community Foundation’s Thrive Prince George’s.

A graphic captured by Belinda Jackson at Picture it Possible, showcases the various guaranteed income pilots that attended the convening.

“We’ve seen the impact that guaranteed income has had across the country,” shared Mandi Koba, Program Officer for Economic Mobility at The Community Foundation. “Now we have a chance to explore the impact that it has had – and will hopefully continue to have in the DMV!”

Nationally, there are more than 150 guaranteed income pilots that are currently active or recently concluded – including at least 12 different pilots in Greater Washington region.

Mary Bogle, Principal Research Associate at the Urban Institute provides an overview of guaranteed income pilots across the country.

During the event, representatives had the chance to network with peers from across the region and share best practices. They also heard a presentation from Mary Bogle, Principal Research Associate at the Urban Institute about guaranteed income pilot best practices and trends, nationally. Bogle and her team at Urban have provided research and evaluation for guaranteed income pilots across the country and the region.

“The socioeconomic impact of guaranteed income is clearly positive,” Bogle shared. “What we need is to continue to research and advocate for more funding so we can discover the scope and scale of that impact for our community.”

After Bogle’s presentation, representatives were divided into break-out groups to discuss various themes relative to guaranteed income work including Narrative Building, How to go from Pilot to Policy, and ‘Failing Forward: Best Practices for Project Implementation.

A graphic captured by Belinda Jackson at Picture it Possible, highlights the main takeaways discussed in each of the various break-out groups.

In the “Failing Forward” group, participants talked about the importance of working with funders to build relationships of trust in order to communicate outcomes and impact within a realistic, holistic lens – but also to be innovative in the types of outcomes they measure – outcomes like improved mental health or increased time spent with children that may fall outside traditional benchmarks for programmatic success

Meanwhile, the Narrative Building group discussed the importance of storytelling and narrative building in painting an accurate picture of the impact of guaranteed income initiatives.

“Welfare queens, ‘Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps’ – there are so many negative narratives out there that don’t accurately represent the realities faced by those we serve,” shared one representative. “As we work with our participants to empower them to share their own stories, we are able to elevate narratives of dignity and community that are the backbone of this work.”

Finally, the pilot to policy group discussed ways to leverage narrative building and evaluation findings to plan for the future – by advocating for funding and policy to continue their efforts at scale.

Across the board, partners expressed the need to continue to collaborate across jurisdictions to share information, combat false narratives, and continue to advocate for funding and support across the region.

“Collaboration and partnership is the key to bringing about lasting and sustainable change,” Wellons added. “We look forward to continuing to partner with all of you, as we work together to promote economic mobility in the Greater Washington region.”

The Community Foundation is committed to continuing to invest in, advocate for, and support the progression of guaranteed income pilot programs across the Greater Washington region. For more information, visit https://www.thecommunityfoundation.org/guaranteed-income

Spotlight: Kaps Kapende - Excellence Before and After Thrive Prince George’s

Kaps Kapande (second from the left) with members of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Prince George’s and a fellow Thrive Prince George’s participant.

In November 2023, The Community Foundation and our partners announced the launch of Thrive Prince George’s - the first guaranteed income pilot in Prince George’s County.

The innovative pilot program provides cash payments of $800 per month to 50 youth who aged out of foster care and 125 Seniors (Age 60+) in Prince George’s County for 24 months. Participants began receiving their first payments in April 2024.

Six months into the program, we asked Kaps Kapende - a former client of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Prince George’s - to share how Thrive Prince George’s has impacted his life and outlook for the future.

Navigating a New Country Alone
Kaps Kapende is living a life of determination, perseverance, and resilience. In the last decade, he has been faced with personal and professional barriers that he has turned into fruitful opportunities using his innate intelligence, ambition, and wisdom to seek out the support he needed to exceed his goals.

In 2015, when Kaps was in 9th grade, he immigrated from the Congo to the United States, by himself. A year after arriving in Texas, he made the decision to move to Washington, DC to seek help with his immigration status.

“Back home in Congo, everything is centralized in the capitol. So when people needed administrative services they had to go to the capitol to get help,” Kaps shared.

“Being young, I thought it was the same way here [in the U.S.]. So I decided to book a bus from Texas to Washington, DC to get help.” 

Upon arriving in DC, Kaps spent the next two months living in a hostel. It was during this time that he learned he would not be able to return to high school because he didn’t have a guardian. Unable to work or study, Kaps eventually went to a homeless shelter for assistance – only to be turned away because he was a minor.

After receiving a recommendation from a friend, Kaps moved to Prince George’s County, where he was able to seek out social services and get connected with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Prince George’s. With their help, Kaps was able to eventually be matched with foster care and finish his high school education.

Excellence in the Face of Barriers
After high school, Kaps was accepted into Frostburg State University where he studied accounting. With ambition as great as his resilience, one of Kaps’ goals was to land a job while in school – event though his immigration status made it difficult for him to find a position.

Kaps decided to take matters into his own hands and launch a lawn mowing business. He passed out fliers in his old neighborhood and was able to build a loyal customer base that allowed him to mow lawns throughout college.

Eventually, Kaps’ hard work and special interest in real estate helped him purchase his first property in Prince George’s County by the age of 22.

Kaps’ Success Reaches New Heights with Thrive Prince George’s
Now 23 years old, Kaps has his degree and works as an accountant – and he is determined to keep growing. He recently enrolled in a cybersecurity boot camp at George Washington University to learn more about the rapidly evolving field. He also has ambitious goals to learn Spanish and build yet another business.

Kaps’ dedication and commitment to excellence have been instrumental to his personal success and growth. These qualities have also led Kaps to help others when he can. With the extra income, Kaps has been able to send financial support to his family overseas.

Between his ambitions and the desire to help support his family, Kaps says that participating in the Thrive Prince George’s guaranteed income program has made a huge difference.

“Being a part of Thrive has helped me budget without feeling squeezed,” Kaps shared. “It has simplified my life at a time when I needed it most.”

Kaps’ story highlights the unique impact of guaranteed income programs like Thrive Prince George’s, which are designed to help people work toward or meet their personal and professional financial goals. While no two stories are the same, many stories will illustrate the power of support and access to the tools needed to reach one’s goals.  

As Kaps continues to build his future, support his family, and inspire the world, he hopes to see guaranteed income programs like Thrive Prince George’s expand to reach even more youth with big dreams.

The Community Foundation is proud to support individuals like Kaps through our investments in Guaranteed Income Pilots through Together, We Prosper - a Campaign for Economic Justice.

Visit our website to learn how you can invest in innovative projects to transform our region!

Leaders of the Future Spotlight: Melody Webb, Mothers Outreach Network - Uplifting the Power of Black Motherhood Through Guaranteed Income

Webb with one of the families participating in the Mother Up pilot program

In honor of International Women’s Day, The Community Foundation is highlighting incredible female leaders in our community that understand, advocate for, and inspire inclusion by promoting a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment.

This month, we’re pleased to highlight Melody Webb, Executive Director of Mother’s Outreach Network and founder of the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition. The Community Foundation is a proud to partner with Mother’s Outreach Network through our Health Equity Fund and is committed to advancing the work of the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition.

For Melody Webb, Executive Director of the Mother’s Outreach Network, you can’t put a price tag on motherhood.

“In my opinion, being a mother is one of the most important roles a woman can have,” Webb shared. “You’re a role model, you’re a caregiver; but for your children, you’re the most important person in their young lives. You’re their advocate; you’re their superhero. And that makes you invaluable.”

A DC Native with family ties to the Civil Rights Movement, Webb was raised with a strong belief in the value of advocacy. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Webb began working with organizations like the Legal Aid Society, The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and the DC Court of Appeals – to tackle systemic community issues ranging from youth violence prevention to supporting returning citizens.

“I’ve always seen myself as an aspiring changemaker,” Webb shared. “Rather than work in a big law firm, I wanted to use my legal training to address deep structural, racial, gender and economic issues.”

However, her most impactful work – that of supporting Black Mothers – didn’t begin until 2002, when Webb made the decision to adjust her legal career to become a stay-at-home mom.

Webb with her youngest son, who volunteers with the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition.

The Joys and Barriers of Black Motherhood

For the next four years, Webb embraced the joys and challenges of being a mother to her three children and nurture her growing her family – all the while seeking opportunities to get further involved in local advocacy. She founded an online policy advocacy project, which focused on local and national advocacy issues. The project gained national attention and provided a platform for her to return to the workforce in 2007 – when she joined SEIU as Associate General Counsel and volunteered with the Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential Campaign.

“Working on the Obama Campaign and at SEIU was such a great experience,” Webb recalled. “I enjoyed learning the power of organizing and the importance of supporting those who are the bread and butter of our society, but don’t have their basic needs being met.”

People like Black single mothers. While at SEIU, Webb’s attention gravitated towards women who were service employees – especially single mothers and returning citizens – who were working multiple jobs just to stay afloat. She was deeply moved by the many barriers that they faced just to stay in the workforce and provide for their children.

Participants from Mother Up enjoy a family photo shoot activity organized by Mother's Outreach Network

A recent study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that more than 70% of Black single mothers worry about paying their bills on a regular basis. These concerns are compounded by a lack of affordable childcare – forcing mothers to carefully plan their family life around work schedules and the availability of neighbors and relatives.

Inspired by the plight of these women, in 2010, Webb launched the Mother’s Outreach Union (later renamed the Women’s Outreach Network) to support Black mothers in the workforce. The organization initially focused on returning citizens – but eventually expanded to serve all Black mothers by providing know-your-rights trainings and other resources to help Black mothers obtain employment and provide for their families.

However, within a few short months, Webb began to notice another troubling trend – mothers who were losing custody of their children because of poverty.

“If you’re a mom and it takes 2-3 jobs to pay your rent, you’re going to leave your kids unsupervised – which is grounds for a neglect charge,” Webb shared. “If you’re struggling and you’re in an abusive relationship with a partner, you can have your child removed from you for failure to protect your child.”

“These poverty factors alone are not supposed to contribute to a removal, but they absolutely do.”

“Poverty is not neglect”

 Before long, Webb returned to the courtroom – this time representing mothers fighting to keep custody of their children.

Webb and volunteers from Mother's Outreach Network visit with women in the community to discuss their needs.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, 1 in 4 single mothers live in poverty in the District of Columbia – an overwhelming number of which are Black single mothers. In FY 2024, 84% of the children in DC’s foster care system were Black – despite the fact that Black Children only make up 52% of city’s child population.

The trend is one that Webb says is unfortunately not unique to the DMV. Nationwide, sociologists estimate that 53% of Black children will experience a Child Protective Service (CPS) investigation by their 18th Birthday.

“If you look at the instability that happens when you take children away from their families, it is far more violent and damaging than if you work with families to help keep them intact."

Webb pointed out that once parents lose custody of their children, they also lose access to almost all of their welfare benefits including WIC, Housing Assistance, and others – making it even harder for them to get to a position where they can get their children back.

“Eighty to Ninety percent of CPS cases involve neglect,” Webb shared. “We can eliminate the vast majority of these cases when we start addressing poverty.”

“Being in poverty does not mean you’re a bad parent.”

“We shouldn’t become a world where our first response is to pull a child out a family,” she added. “Our priority should be to provide more support and be more inclusive for families who are struggling. We need to do more to create a sense of belonging.”

Harnessing the Power of Guaranteed Income

The DC Guaranteed Income Coalition gathers at the Wilson Building to lobby DC Council Members to support guaranteed income initiatives

As Mother’s Outreach Network fought for mother’s rights in DC, Webb became aware of a national movement making waves in the economic mobility space – the push for guaranteed income.

Designed to help lift people out of poverty, guaranteed income pilots provide unconditional cash assistance to a targeted group of individuals living below the poverty line. Beginning in 2018, the movement gained considerable momentum following the COVID-19 pandemic and has inspired more than 100 programs across the country.

Among the most prominent of these programs is the Magnolia Mother’s Trust – a pilot based out of Jackson, Mississippi providing $1,000 to Black, low-income mothers for 12 months. Since 2018, the program has served more than 230 Black mothers, improving not only their economic outcomes, but also their emotional and physical wellbeing.

Inspired by their success, Webb began leading the charge to bring guaranteed income to the nation’s capital. She organized the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition – a coalition of community, philanthropic, and government partners advocating for cash transfer programs like Guaranteed Income pilots to combat poverty in DC and the Greater Washington region.

Through the Coalition, Webb’s advocacy has had a resounding impact on the Greater Washington region. Since the coalition was founded in 2020, twelve guaranteed income pilots have been organized across DC, Maryland, & Virginia – including several supported by The Community Foundation.

Click here to Read About The Community Foundation’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Initiatives!

Mother Up – A Guaranteed Income Pilot for Single Black Mothers

In 2023, Webb and Mother’s Outreach Network announced the launch of Mother Up – a Guaranteed Income pilot providing $500 a month for 3 years to Black mothers in DC living below the 250% Federal Poverty Level (ie making less than $36,000 a year).

The inaugural cohort of five mothers began receiving payments in the Spring of 2023 – with plans to enroll of a total of 50 mothers by the end of 2024 – thanks, in part to a grant from The Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund.

While the program is still in it’s early stages, Webb shares that the reaction from participants has been extremely positive.

“Moms are reporting that they don’t have to pick between their kids in terms of buying extra clothing,” she shared. “They can pay off bills and debt and can finally afford to spend quality time with their children.”

In addition to providing monthly cash payments, Mother Up also offers additional programming through their Mothers Empowerment group, which provides participants the opportunity to learn about community resources, join fun families activities, and develop a community with other moms. However, Webb emphasized that participation in the group is entirely optional.

“We believe and respect that parents know what their needs are,” Webb explained. “We don’t force or require them to attend anything” – a stark contrast to many welfare initiatives that require participants to attend compulsory programming.

Webb explained that for Mother Up, the approach has paid off – as participants have not only attended events, but also gone out of their way to ask Mother’s Outreach Network for support with additional medical and mental health needs they have. Webb says that even though the organization can’t always meet those needs, the fact that participant’s are willing to be open and vulnerable about them is a positive sign.

“Our relationship with each of the mothers is so important to us,” Webb added. “We work hard to build their trust by valuing and understanding their needs and doing what we can to assist them however we can.”

The Power of a Woman Ready to Rise

Participants from Mothers Up join advocates from the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition in advocating before the DC Council.

Ultimately, Webb explains, the goal of Mother Up is to empower moms to become leaders for their families and communities. The program is working to empower participants to become advocates for their communities by providing them the training and resources to testify before the DC Council and share their lived in experience in other government and community convenings.

“We don’t have enough Black women leaders – especially when it comes to issues like economic justice for moms.”

“Moms are the experts,” Webb explained. “They are the ones who can talk most effectively about what is going on in their lives and dispel the negative and false tropes that often exist around Black motherhood. Their daughters should be the ones to talk about what is going on in their communities and advocate for safer communities.”

“They are the future of our community – and what a bright and beautiful future it can be – if we only take the time to invest in them.”

The Community Foundation is proud to partner with Melody Webb and Mother’s Outreach Network through our Health Equity Fund and the DC Coalition for Guaranteed Income to empower Black mothers and other low-income members of our community. For more information about Mother’s Outreach Network, visit www.mothersoutreachnetwork.org/  

Prince George’s County Launches its First-Ever Guaranteed Income Program

Today, The Community Foundation is excited to announce the launch of Thrive Prince George’s, a two-year, $4 million guaranteed-income pilot that seeks to provide greater economic stability and mobility for families in the region. The program, which is spearheaded by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Prince George’s County Executive and Council, and the Meyer Foundation, will provide monthly payments of $800 to 50 youth (age 18-24) who have aged out of foster care and 125+ seniors (age 60+) for a 24-month period with no strings attached and no requirements tied to employment.

“Studies have shown that modest guaranteed basic income pilots can decrease poverty by as much as 40%,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We strongly believe that this program will improve the lives of many in Prince George’s County and will reduce the racial wealth gap in a way that makes it viable for the county to consider providing guaranteed basic income for years to come.” 

While several pilots are currently operating around the region – including in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, DC, and Montgomery County – this is the first guaranteed income program to exclusively serve residents of Prince George’s County. The $4 million pilot is funded using both public and private philanthropic resources, with participating partners each contributing $1 million to the program.

"This initiative is an innovative example of how we find solutions through public-private partnerships," said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. "Thanks to this collaborative pilot program, we're weaving a stronger social fabric and empowering people to pursue their aspirations with dignity and resilience."

Guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to increasing financial stability. The positive impact of guaranteed income has been studied for decades, with evidence indicating that monthly cash payments can reduce income volatility and support recipients in attaining full-time employment, greater housing stability, improved health outcomes, and more

“I’ve championed the guaranteed basic income program for years because I know it provides an opportunity to tackle poverty and create better quality of life for our residents,” said County Council Member Krystal Oriadha. “My hope is with more jurisdictions moving to implement programs like this, we will see an investment at the state and federal level that will allow these pilots to become permanent. I am excited about partnering with organizations like the Greater Washington Community Foundation to make this dream a reality.”

The Community Foundation will administer the pilot program as part of its Together, We Prosper Campaign for Economic Justice, which is focused on investing in economic strategies that will increase economic mobility to help close the region’s racial wealth gap.

It has also partnered with Court Appointed Special Advocate Prince George’s County (CASA) and United Communities Against Poverty (UCAP), two community-based organizations in Prince George’s County that will lead the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of participants, distribute cash payments, and provide optional benefits counseling to ensure existing safety net services are not compromised by participation in this income-boosting pilot. Other partners include Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, which provides stable environments for at-risk children and adults, Prince George’s ChangeMakers, who has long advocated for the adoption of a guaranteed income program in Prince George’s County, and Capital Area Asset Builders, who works to create opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals in the region.

“The Meyer Foundation has enthusiastically supported a growing number of guaranteed basic income pilots in our region,” said George L. Askew, MD, President and CEO of the Meyer Foundation. “Pilot programs like this one are consistent with our mission to pursue and invest in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community. We’re proud to be supporting this work in Prince George’s County – an area that has experienced continued growth, but where support for residents facing the most significant social, economic, and health challenges remains critical. These public-private partnerships help bring economic justice closer to reality.” 

The Community Foundation will measure how the economic status of participants improves over time and plans to design and implement an evaluation program that balances quantitative and qualitative measures that have historically demonstrated client progress and program viability. For more information about Thrive Prince George’s, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/thrive-prince-georges

For those interested in supporting Thrive Prince George’s and other Guaranteed Income Initiatives in our region, click here!

The Community Foundation Partners with Meyer Foundation in Support of Guaranteed Income Pilot in Prince George's County

To pursue our vision for economic justice, the Greater Washington Community Foundation is putting powerful economic strategies to work in the parts of our community experiencing the deepest disparities in homeownership and income.

With over 100 pilots currently operating around the country, guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to lift people out of poverty and provide greater economic stability for families.

We are proud to be an early adopter and investor in our region’s guaranteed income movement, with investments in programs in Arlington County (Arlington’s Guarantee), Montgomery County (MoCo Boost), and DC/regional (Let’s Go DMV!).

Now, we are excited to partner with the Meyer Foundation and Prince George’s County government to seed the first guaranteed income program in the county. The Prince George’s County Council recently approved legislation to create the $4 million pilot, which now must go through the budget reconciliation process. The exact details and specific population for this pilot are still being determined, but the program could provide up to $800 per month for 24 months to 200 people -- with no strings attached.

This pilot is being designed to give individuals and families increased flexibility and financial freedom to overcome whatever barriers they may face – whether it is meeting basic needs, paying down a debt, moving into permanent housing, furthering their education to secure a better job, or to stop working a second job and instead be home for more family time.

“The Meyer Foundation is glad to support guaranteed income pilot programs throughout our region, and now in Prince George’s County,” says Meyer Foundation President and CEO George L. Askew, M.D. “Programs like these have roots in the movement for racial justice and have emerged as one of the strongest tools available to us to co-create a future in our region where everyone belongs and thrives. We’re proud to partner with the Greater Washington Community Foundation among our growing list of partners to seed this and other local efforts.”

“Our hope is that these pilot programs will continue to stimulate economic mobility and help close the racial wealth gap in DC, Maryland, and Virginia by providing families with the resources, dignity, and agency to decide what’s best for them,” The Community Foundation President and CEO Tonia Wellons added. “In so doing, we help build consensus and public will to make guaranteed income a publicly funded instrument of community stability and prosperity.”

Read more about the Prince George’s pilot program here:

Washington Post

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Learn more about our investments in guaranteed income

Guaranteed Income: A Strategy to Support Economic Mobility

With over 100 pilots currently operating around the country, guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to provide greater economic stability for families.

The Guaranteed Income pilots happening around the country provide direct cash assistance for a limited period of time – with no strings attached. The pilots are designed to give individuals and families increased flexibility and financial freedom to overcome whatever barriers they may face – whether it is meeting basic needs, paying down a debt, moving into permanent housing, furthering their education to secure a better job, or to stop working a second job and instead be home for family time.

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is an early adopter and investor in several guaranteed income pilots throughout our region, including:

• Arlington’s Guarantee (Arlington, VA) launched in September 2021 as a partnership between The Arlington Community Foundation and Arlington County Department of Human Services. This pilot program provides a monthly unconditional cash payment of $500 over 18 months to 200 families. Target outcomes for participants include increased financial well-being, a heightened sense of personal agency, and community belonging. 

• MoCo Boost (Montgomery County, MD) launched as a public-private partnership to provide $800 a month to 300 households for 24 months. This pilot program includes 100 households recently served by the Montgomery County Homeless Continuum of Care and 200 participants with at least one child/dependent who had previously sought assistance from the County during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• In DC, The Community Foundation joined with several local and regional foundations to launch Let’s Go DMV!, a 5-year guaranteed income pilot providing $1,000 a month to 75 hospitality workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Cash payments started in March 2022. All but one participant is a person of color, with about half being immigrants and the other half being primarily from DC or the region.

• We are currently working with partners to design, support, and launch a similar pilot project in Prince George’s County in 2023.

Additionally, with the recognition that health, economic mobility, and wealth are inextricably linked, we have invested in a broad array of guaranteed income pilots and cash transfer projects in DC through our Health Equity Fund.   

We are confident that these pilot programs will demonstrate that guaranteed income programs stimulate economic mobility and help close the racial wealth gap.

As we provide financial support for these guaranteed income programs, we will also be building consensus and public will to make guaranteed income a publicly funded instrument of community stability and prosperity.

Together, We Prosper

Our guaranteed income program investments are part of our multi-year commitment to increase economic mobility to close the racial wealth gap. Contributions raised through our Together, We Prosper Campaign will help accelerate the work to pursue economic justice and shared prosperity for all the people of our region.

We believe that by increasing economic mobility and building community wealth, we can help our entire region to prosper. The Together, We Prosper campaign will help build sustainable funding for community needs today and into the future, while enabling us to put powerful economic strategies to work in the parts of our community experiencing the deepest disparities.

Click Here to Learn More!

Bridging the Health and Wealth Gap Through Guaranteed Income

In September 2022, The Community Foundation announced the inaugural grant round for the Health Equity Fund — a $95 million fund designed to improve health outcomes for DC residents through an economic mobility framework.

A number of those inaugural grantees are currently (or will soon become) part of the growing Guaranteed Income or Cash Transfer movement — a group of initiatives and pilot programs across the country that are using cash payments to provide direct assistance to community members.

As part of our journey to understand the impact that these programs can have in our community, we reached out to some of our partners to understand how providing direct cash assistance helps the communities they serve.

My Sister’s Place

My Sister’s Place (MSP) emergency cash transfer program, RISE Trust, serves 45 families who have experienced domestic violence. Financial abuse goes hand-in-hand with domestic abuse, and is one of the main reasons survivors stay in, and return to, abusive relationships.

MSP is providing $500/month for 24 months to our participants. Equally as important, financial literacy and programs with our partner, Capital Area Asset Builders, will allow our participants to gain financial education, the combination leading to financially empowered and hopeful families.

Just 3 months into the program participants are getting their credit scores for the first time, creating financial goals, and learning about how trauma affects finances. Participants reported being able to drop a part-time job and having more time with their children, paying off credit card bills, feeling a new sense of hope and a reduction in stress. We are excited to see the impact after 24 months.

Mother’s Outreach Network

Mother’s Outreach Network (MON) deploys policy advocacy, legal programs, and community building to address and strengthen the social determinants of health for Black mothers. MON is specifically focused on Black family preservation -- building the economic security of Black mothers involved with Washington, DC’s Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA). These women are some of the city’s most economically marginalized mothers.

In 2019, 4 out of every 5 D.C. cases in foster care stemmed from neglect-based allegations alone. These were cases where parents were charged with harming the “health or welfare” of a child under 18 years of age by failing to accord them “adequate food, clothing, shelter, education or medical care.” 

To combat this, in 2021, MON conceived of a guaranteed income pilot research program to provide monthly unconditional cash payments for three years to DC residents that identify as Black mothers and have current or recent involvement in the child welfare system. Set to launch in three phases starting in early April 2023, MON's program seeks to inform policy around how poverty reduction affects involvement of parents in the child welfare system.

Capital Area Asset Builders

Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) started to be involved in the guaranteed income and cash transfer movement in the Fall of 2017. At CAAB we strongly believe that in order to achieve poverty alleviation, financial stability and long-term prosperity community members need access to information, education, empowerment, and money. No one community member can ever be directly serviced out of poverty. Without access to money one’s dreams and aspirations cannot be converted into goals and actions. With access to money, they can be.

Since early 2018, CAAB has been managing DC Flex, the nation’s first eviction- and homelessness-prevention cash transfer program. DC Flex is funded by the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) for the benefit of low-income TANF-receiving families to be able to pay rent on time and thus avoid eviction and homelessness. Since the creation of DC Flex, we have seen the significant impact the program has in enabling a family to stay housed, avoid financial hardships, and be put on a pathway to financial security. DC Flex goes beyond providing cash assistance. Program participants also receive financial wellness services provided by CAAB: bank accounts, budget management, financial wellness workshops, one-on-one confidential financial coaching sessions, information on the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, as well as access to free tax preparation services.

DC Flex was supposed to be a 4-year long pilot program for 125 low-income families in Washington, DC with total annual cash transfers of $900,000. Because of its deep impact, DC Flex has now grown to benefit 669 low-income families and 125 low-income individuals with total annual cash transfers of over $6.5 million. In addition to DC Flex, over the past 4 years CAAB has also partnered with several private sector and non-profit sector partners to manage 7 other guaranteed income and cash transfer initiatives. We celebrate and applaud all entities offering guaranteed income and cash transfer programs.

In Pursuit of Economic Justice Recap: National Leaders Discuss Guaranteed Income Movement

Last week, The Community Foundation hosted a panel of national leaders in the guaranteed income movement for a discussion about how philanthropy is working to increase economic mobility by launching and investing in guaranteed income programs. The event was the first of the “In Pursuit of Economic Justice” Webinar Series – designed to bring together experts to explore innovative approaches to closing the racial wealth gap.

“Part of our 10-year strategic vision to close the racial wealth gap is to invest in innovative solutions that can move beyond providing economic stability to promoting economic mobility and eventual prosperity for communities of color,” President & CEO Tonia Wellons shared. “The guaranteed income movement is one of those.”

“Guaranteed income is designed to allow those who are economically disadvantaged to be the arbiters of their own financial lives,” Natalie Foster, President & Founder of the Economic Security Project shared. “It’s based on the premise that as we provide people with regular cash payments – with no strings attached – that they can live with dignity and make the choices they need to prosper.”

Foster has been with the guaranteed income movement since one of the first pilot programs launched in Stockton, CA in 2017. Six years later, the movement has grown to encompass more than 100 pilots across the country – including four in the Greater Washington region: Let’s Go DMV! (DC), MoCo Boost (Montgomery County), Arlington’s Guarantee (Arlington), and ARISE (Alexandria).

The Community Foundation is a proud partner for several of these initiatives and plans to help launch a similar program in Prince George’s County in the coming months.

““The problem is not that these people aren’t working – the problem is that the economy is not working for them.””

— Natalie Foster

Foster explained that one of the biggest challenges facing the growing movement lies in narrative building – specifically in addressing common misconceptions surrounding guaranteed income and the social safety net.

“Many in our society have a very harmful ideology that poverty is an individual failing,” Foster continued. “We know that is not true. For communities of color, we know it is a structural and systemic failure.”

“The problem is not that these people aren’t working – the problem is that the economy is not working for them.”

“For those of us with wealth, there are multitude of public subsidies – like tax deductions – that we can access with ‘no strings attached’,” added Geeta Pradhan, President of the Cambridge Community Foundation. “Yet for our low-income populations, we ask them to explain themselves, fill out forms, jump through hoops, and waste time that they don’t have – just to get the help they need.”

“The time has come for us to put aside these systemic inequities when it comes to our social safety net.”

Pradhan and the Cambridge Community Foundation joined the guaranteed income movement in 2021, when they partnered with Mayor’s for Guaranteed Income to launch Cambridge RISE. The project has been so successful that the Mayor’s Office of Cambridge, Massachusetts announced an additional $22 million in federal funding for the project last year – making it one of the largest programs in the country. The investment highlights what Foster says is an important step towards one of the long-term goals of the movement.

 “The vision of the guaranteed income movement is not simply to launch pilots in certain parts of the country,” Foster explained. “The vision is that philanthropic dollars will serve as the R&D (Research & Development) and power building muscle to influence and enact policy.”

Foster highlighted the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Expanded Income Tax Credit (EITC) as examples of existing policies that could be expanded upon – a measure that the DC Council chose to take this past year to establish a new monthly basic income program.

“I think you have a real opportunity,” Pradhan said, speaking directly to The Community Foundation’s donors. “Your community is already doing an amazing job in the guaranteed income space – and through those initiatives, we continue to learn more and more about how we can make our community stronger. As donors, your generosity is what helps us create change in our communities.”

“It’s not often you get the opportunity to have such a return on your investment,” Foster added. “Not only from a policy standpoint in the long-term – enacting long-awaited systemic change – but also in the short-term – providing tangible support that truly makes a difference for people in your community.”

Click here to view the full recording of In Pursuit of Economic Justice: A Primer on Guaranteed Income Programs. This event is the first of a series of conversations exploring innovative approaches to closing the racial gap.

Basic-Income Pilot Helps Hospitality Workers Affected by COVID

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to share the launch of Let’s GO DMV! – a guaranteed income pilot in the Washington, DC region that intends to give $1,000 a month–no strings attached– to 75 hospitality workers who lost their jobs during COVID. All but one of the workers are individuals of colors. The pilot, which recently began its first cash distributions, is planned to last five years.

“This initiative addresses a glaring reality as it relates to the racial wealth gap: that Black people and other people of color in our region were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 dual health and economic crises, further widening pre-existing disparities,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

“Let’s GO DMV! is designed to get cash in people’s hands now – giving them increased flexibility and financial freedom to overcome the systemic barriers they face. Our hope is that this initiative can be used as a case for future government-supported programs and policies that are needed to advance economic justice.”

The launch was funded by a number of regional partners including Greater Washington Community Foundation, Amalgamated Foundation, Meyer Foundation, if, and several others. The Greater Washington Community Foundation is proud to serve as the designated fiscal agent for philanthropic grants and other financial contributions to Let’s Go DMV!.

For more information, visit www.letsgodmv.org