Humboldt Income Program
The Humboldt Income Program is a guaranteed income pilot run by the McKinleyville Family Resource Center that gave $920 a month, no strings attached, to 150 low-income pregnant residents of rural Humboldt County, California for 18 months. It is one of seven sites in California's statewide Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, funded by roughly $2.3-2.4 million from the California Department of Social Services plus about $1.1 million in matching philanthropic funds raised locally. Applicants had to be referred by a partner health or social-service provider, including several tribal and Indigenous-serving health organizations. As a randomized controlled trial, eligible applicants were randomly assigned to receive the full $920 monthly benefit or a $20 monthly control payment, with both groups invited to participate in paid research surveys. The program is evaluated by the Urban Institute and UC Berkeley, with a final report expected in 2026.
Guaranteed Income, Pregnancy/Perinatal, Randomized Controlled Trial, Rural California, Tribal Health Partnerships, California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program (CDSS)
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- McKinleyville Family Resource Center (McKFRC)
- City
- McKinleyville
- State / Province
- California
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://www.mckfrc.org
- Phone
- +1 707-840-0905
- HIP@McKFRC.org
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 150
- Funding type
- Government, Philanthropic, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 16,560 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 920 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 18 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct deposit to bank account, Pre-paid debit card
- Benefit details
Selected participants (Group 1) received $920/month for 18 months, paid on the 25th of each month, beginning about one month after enrollment; a control group (Group 2) required by the state's research design received $20/month instead. Recipients chose between direct deposit to a bank account or a mailed/picked-up pre-paid debit card. All applicants, regardless of group, were invited to participate in a voluntary baseline survey plus follow-up surveys at 6, 12, and 18 months, with incentive payments for participation. The funds were structured (with local philanthropic matching) so they would not count against most other benefits, including CalFresh, CalWORKs, SSDI, EITC, LIHEAP, Medi-Cal, Refugee Cash Assistance, and Tribal TANF, though they could affect Section 8/housing authority income calculations.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants had to be pregnant (under 28 weeks/through the 27th week) at referral, at least 18 years old, a Humboldt County resident, and at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (not counting the unborn child). Applicants also had to be referred by one of a specific list of partner clinics and agencies, several of which serve Native American/tribal communities (United Indian Health Services, Hoopa TANF, K'ima:w Medical Center) alongside non-tribal partners like Open Door Community Health Centers and CalWORKs. Tribal enrollment itself was not an eligibility requirement, but McKFRC specifically arranged for HIP payments not to reduce participants' eligibility for tribally administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF). Selection among eligible referred applicants for the $920 benefit versus the $20 control payment was determined by random assignment as part of the state-mandated evaluation design.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
- Sex
- Female
- Gender
- Female
Family
- Family Status
- Expecting
Health
- Health conditions
- Pregnancy (1st or 2nd trimester, under 28 weeks gestation at referral)
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $29,160
- Income as % of Federal Poverty Level
- 200 %
Geography
- US states covered
- California
- Countries covered
- United States
- Counties covered
- Humboldt County
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Complementary program enrollment required
- Optional benefits counseling was offered before enrollment but was not required.
- Research / participation requirements
The program is evaluated by the Urban Institute (with the University of California, Berkeley) as part of the statewide California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program evaluation. Both treatment and control group members were invited (voluntarily, with incentive payments) to complete a baseline survey plus follow-up surveys at 6, 12, and 18 months and an exit survey; focus groups were also conducted. An early-implementation brief (June 2025) found enrollment was fast and easy, benefits counseling was under-recalled by participants, and disbursement was mostly smooth aside from some debit-card fees/delays. A full final evaluation report covering health, financial, and (for this site) perinatal/birth outcomes was slated for completion in 2026.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applicants could not apply directly; they had to be referred by one of McKFRC's partner providers (Open Door Community Health Centers' North Country Prenatal Services and Redwood Pregnancy Services, Redwoods Rural Health Center, United Indian Health Services, Hoopa TANF, CalWORKs Eligibility, Providence Medical Group-OB/GYN, Providence St. Joseph Hospital's Paso a Paso and CARE Network, or K'ima:w Medical Center). After referral, applicants received a text or email link to a brief (~15 minute) application. Enrollment opened December 4/11, 2023 and continued on a rolling basis until all 150 program slots (plus control-group slots) were filled, with a final cutoff around May 2024. Those unable to reach a referral partner could call McKFRC directly or email HIP@McKFRC.org.
- Selection process
All eligible, referred applicants had an equal chance of being randomly assigned via lottery to Group 1 (full $920/month guaranteed income for 18 months, capped at 150 people) or Group 2 (a $20/month control group required by the state evaluation design). This random assignment was mandated by the California Department of Social Services as part of the statewide pilot's research design.
