El Monte Guaranteed Income Program
An ARPA-funded pilot narrowly targeted at single mothers — female heads of household with a dependent under 18, hit financially by COVID-19. What sets it apart is the rigor of its research design: RAND Corporation and USC's Sol Price School of Public Policy built in a matched control group to produce genuinely comparative outcome data, while keeping the research survey itself voluntary and decoupled from eligibility — a more academically rigorous structure than many city-run cash pilots.
Covid, Single Mothers
Headquarters
- City
- El Monte
- State / Province
- California
- Country
- United States
Contact
Status & Funding
- Application status
- Closed
- Number of recipients
- 125
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 6,000 USD
- Total Amount Per Year
- 6,000 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 12 months
- Distribution Type
- Debit Card
Eligibility
Demographics
- Sex
- Male
- Gender
- Female
Family
- Parental status
- Single Parent
- Number of dependents (minimum)
- 1
- Household size (minimum)
- 2
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $50,560
- Income as % of Federal Poverty Level
- 100 %
Geography
- US states covered
- California
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- El Monte
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing required
- Yes
- Research / participation requirements
Research participation was voluntary but built into the program's design, run jointly by RAND Corporation and the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.
What participants had to do: Complete a short survey during the application process covering basic financial and health information — described as voluntary, with no bearing on selection or program participation, and kept confidential for research use only. Selected recipients and a 125-person control group (non-recipients who instead received a grocery store gift card for participating) were both tracked over time through additional surveys and focus groups.
What was covered: Economic security, housing stability, health, and self-efficacy outcomes. Who ran it: RAND Corporation, in partnership with USC's Sol Price School of Public Policy.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications ran online, in person, or by mail, with the online option hosted directly by RAND at srg.rand.org/elmonte. RAND, as the research/administering partner, then ran a random lottery among eligible applicants to select the recipients, and notified those chosen by letter to the address provided on their application. Payments, distributed and explained in person at El Monte City Hall) followed shortly after.
