Alexandria Recurring Income for Success and Equity (ARISE)
ARISE was the City of Alexandria's guaranteed income pilot study, providing $500 a month for 24 months to 170 randomly selected low-income residents with no restrictions on how the money could be spent. Funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, the program was designed as a randomized controlled trial run by the City's Department of Community and Human Services in partnership with ACT for Alexandria and research firm Abt Associates. The City hoped to learn how a regular cash disbursement can impact the economic stability and wellbeing of residents when they can decide for themselves how to spend it. Payments were distributed via a prepaid debit card issued by fintech partner MoCaFi, requiring no bank account. Disbursements ran from February 2023 through approximately January 2025, and a final evaluation report was released in 2026.
Guaranteed Income, Randomized Controlled Trial, ARPA-Funded, Debit Card Distribution, Unconditional Cash
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- City of Alexandria Department of Community & Human Services (DCHS)
- City
- Alexandria
- State / Province
- Virginia
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 703 746 6400
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Number of recipients
- 170
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 12,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 24 months
- Distribution Type
- Debit Card
- Benefit details
Selected participants received $500 per month for 24 consecutive months, deposited onto a prepaid debit-style card administered by financial distribution partner MoCaFi (no bank account required). The cash payment was not counted as earned income for TANF, LIHEAP, Medicaid, or Child Care Subsidy in Virginia, but it was counted as income for SNAP and SSI eligibility purposes. Participants received one-on-one benefits counseling before enrollment and could opt out if participation would reduce other benefits. A coach was also available to help participants set goals and connect with city/community resources. Payments were treated as a tax-free "gift," not taxable income.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants had to be a City of Alexandria resident, age 18 or older, with total household income at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), which varied by household size (e.g., $49,850/year for a 1-person household up to $139,454/year for a 16-person household). There was no minimum income, no work requirement, and no citizenship/immigration status requirement. Applications were open for a single window (Oct 31-Nov 9, 2022); over 4,100 applications were received, and 170 participants were selected at random by Abt Associates. A control group of ~210 additional non-selected applicants participated in paid research surveys without receiving payments.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $139,454
- Income as % of Area Median Income
- 50 %
Geography
- US states covered
- Virginia
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Alexandria
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
As part of a randomized controlled trial evaluation led by Abt Associates, applicants completed a baseline wellbeing survey (about 45-60 minutes, covering finances, physical/mental health, employment, and family life) as part of the application; questions could be skipped. Selected participants and the control group were expected to complete follow-up surveys over the roughly 30-month study period, including qualitative interviews and an ethnography of 12 single-parent participants, to measure the impact of the cash payments.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were accepted online only, during a single application window from October 31, 2022 (9 a.m. EST) through November 9, 2022 (11:59 p.m.); no paper applications were offered and no supporting documents were required (self-attestation of residency). Public application-assistance sites (e.g., libraries) were available for residents without internet access. The application is now closed; ARISE is not currently accepting new applicants, and the pilot concluded in January 2025.
- Selection process
170 participants were selected at random by a computer application run by Abt Associates, the City's research partner, from all applicants who met eligibility criteria; every qualified applicant had an equal chance of selection regardless of when they applied or where in the city they lived. Selected participants were notified beginning December 2022 via phone, email, text and mail, and had 14 days to respond. A separate control group of about 210 applicants was randomly selected to complete paid research surveys without receiving the monthly cash payment.
