Howard County Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) Pilot Program - Phase One
Howard County Government, in partnership with the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), launched the Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) Pilot Program in August 2025, providing 20 families with $1,000 per month in unrestricted cash assistance for 12 months, with an option to extend to 18 months. The program is funded through a nonprofit grant approved in Howard County's FY25 Operating Budget and administered by CAC, which also provides wrap-around services and optional community partner programming. This is the first phase ("Phase One") of the County's GBI initiative; a distinct, redesigned second cohort ("GBI2"/Phase Two) launched July 1, 2026 with a different $500/month plus $500/month matched-savings structure.
Guaranteed Basic Income, County Pilot, Families with Children, Wrap-Around Services, Phase One of Two-Phase GBI Initiative, Anti-Poverty
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), in partnership with Howard County Government
- City
- Columbia
- State / Province
- Maryland
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://cac-hc.org/gbi/
- Phone
- +1 410-313-6440
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 20
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 18,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 1,000 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 18 months
- Benefit details
Participating families receive $1,000 per month in unrestricted cash assistance for 12 months, with an option to extend to 18 months at the same rate. Funds come with no spending restrictions, unlike traditional assistance programs. Participants also have access to wrap-around services and optional (not required) monthly programming/workshops from community partners. As Phase One concludes, participants may opt to receive $500/month for 6 additional months plus a $500/month matched savings deposit through SECU, a nonprofit financial institution, to help bridge into the post-pilot period.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible families had to reside in Howard County, have at least one child under age 18 in the household, and be current or recent CAC clients (e.g., enrolled in CAC's Early Childhood Education Program in 2024-2025, or having received or been denied Energy or Housing Assistance in the past year). Households could not be recipients of income-based housing vouchers or housing subsidies, and had to have household income between 150% and 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FY25). CAC screened 292 potential families down to 90 for eligibility review, then selected the final 20 via lottery, confirmed by June 2025. Participating households live in Columbia, Laurel, Elkridge, and Savage, with household sizes ranging from 2 to 5.
Family
- Family Status
- Parent
- Number of dependents (minimum)
- 1
- Household size (minimum)
- 2
- Household size (maximum)
- 5
Financial
- Currently receiving government benefits
- Disqualifying
Geography
- US states covered
- Maryland
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Columbia, Laurel, Elkridge, Savage
- Counties covered
- Howard
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
CAC collects quarterly survey data from participants covering quality of life; physical, mental, and emotional well-being; employment and household income; childcare access and family time; healthcare access; and financial stability/spending habits, plus a final assessment at program end. Findings are used by CAC and Howard County Government to inform future countywide strategies on economic mobility and self-sufficiency, and directly informed the design of the follow-up GBI2/Phase Two program.
Application Process
- How to apply
The program is not currently accepting applications; it is full. The original 2025 cohort was selected through a closed process limited to current/recent CAC clients rather than a general public application - CAC identified and screened families from its existing client base rather than running an open call for applications.
- Selection process
CAC identified 292 potential families from its existing client base and conducted a screening process in spring 2025. Of those, 90 families advanced to an eligibility review based on specific criteria. From this group, 20 families were selected through a lottery system, with final documentation confirmed by June 2025.
