Guaranteed Income Pilot Program
In August 2021, the City of Evanston and Northwestern University partnered to launch a one-year guaranteed income pilot providing $500 unrestricted monthly cash payments to up to 165 residents, split evenly among three vulnerable groups: young adults 18-24, seniors over 62, and undocumented residents. The $1 million pilot was funded by $700,000 in City American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) recovery funds and $300,000 from Northwestern's Good Neighbor Racial Equity Fund. It made Evanston the first municipality in Illinois to adopt a guaranteed income program. The City has since continued offering guaranteed income under the same program name in later rounds (e.g., a 2026 round of 102 households) with revised, income-based eligibility that no longer includes an undocumented-residents category.
Undocumented immigrants, Northwestern University, Good Neighbor Racial Equity Fund, ARPA, first in Illinois, three-category pilot
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- City of Evanston
- City
- Evanston
- State / Province
- Illinois
- Country
- United States
Contact
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 165
- Funding type
- Government, Philanthropic, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 6,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 12 months
- Benefit details
Recipients received $500 per month in unrestricted cash for 12 months ($6,000 total per participant). Funding of $1 million (City $700,000 + Northwestern $300,000) allowed up to 165 participants, split evenly (~55 each) across three eligibility categories: disengaged youth ages 18-24, senior citizens over 62, and undocumented residents. Program design included a Northwestern-led research/evaluation component to assess whether funds reached the intended population.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants had to be Evanston residents and fall into one of three equally-sized categories: young adults ages 18-24, seniors over age 62, or undocumented residents, with priority given to those most economically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. No universal age band applies since eligibility routes through three distinct sub-groups rather than one age criterion. Specific income thresholds and application mechanics for this 2021-2022 round were not detailed in available sources (a later 2026 round used an explicit 185% federal poverty level income cap).
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
Citizenship
- Citizenship / immigration status
- Undocumented
Geography
- US states covered
- Illinois
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Evanston
- Counties covered
- Cook
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
Northwestern University committed to designing and evaluating the program (via its Good Neighbor Racial Equity Fund partnership with the City) to assess whether payments reached the intended vulnerable populations and to measure program effectiveness; the University was still identifying an evaluator as of the August 2021 approval.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applicants applied through a City-run process and were selected via random selection within each of the three eligibility categories (youth 18-24, seniors 62+, undocumented residents). Specific application portal/document details for this 2021-2022 round were not confirmed in available sources.
- Selection process
Random selection within each of three equal-sized eligibility categories (approximately 55 participants each): disengaged youth ages 18-24, seniors over 62, and undocumented residents, prioritizing residents most economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
