Magnolia Mother's Trust
The Magnolia Mother's Trust (MMT), run by the Jackson, Mississippi nonprofit Springboard To Opportunities, gives extremely low-income Black mothers living in federally subsidized/affordable housing $1,000 a month for 12 months with no restrictions on use, plus a one-time $1,000 deposit into a 529 college savings account for each child. Launched in 2018, it is the longest-running privately funded guaranteed income program in the United States and is funded by philanthropic foundations and private donors. Cohort 3 served 100 mothers from April 2021 through March 2022, spanning the COVID-19 pandemic. As of the latest data the program is active and has launched its seventh cohort, having served over 550 mothers total.
Guaranteed Income, Black Mothers, Federally Subsidized Housing, Longest-Running US Guaranteed Income Program, 529 Children's Savings Accounts, Jackson Mississippi
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Springboard To Opportunities
- City
- Jackson
- State / Province
- Mississippi
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 769-251-0924
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 100
- Funding type
- Philanthropic
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 12,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 1,000 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 12 months
- Benefit details
Mothers receive $1,000/month for 12 months with no restrictions on spending, plus a one-time $1,000 deposit into a 529 college savings account per child. Cohort 3 ran April 2021 to March 2022. Later cohorts added optional wraparound support (mental health/self-care program, financial coaching). The program deliberately caps payments at 12 months per cohort rather than continuing indefinitely.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible participants are Black mothers with extremely low household income (average ~$11,000/year) who already live in one of Springboard's partner federally subsidized/affordable housing communities in Jackson, Mississippi. Recipients are selected by lottery, not merit-based review. Cohort 3 served 100 mothers.
Demographics
- Sex
- Female
- Gender
- Female
- Race / ethnicity targets
- Black / African American
Family
- Family Status
- Parent
Housing
- Housing status
- Public Housing
Financial
- Income as % of Area Median Income
- 30 %
- Currently receiving government benefits
- Required
Geography
- US states covered
- Mississippi
- Cities covered
- Jackson
- Counties covered
- Hinds
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Complementary program enrollment required
- Optional mental health/self-care support program (added from 5th cohort onward), financial/savings coaching tied to 529 accounts, access to Springboard's broader family support services.
- Research / participation requirements
Springboard commissions program evaluations after each cohort (surveys/interviews), published as public reports — e.g., the Cohort 3 2021-2022 Evaluation Summary, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. A separate longer-term Alumni Study assessed lasting impacts. Key findings: increased self-efficacy and hope, unchanged employment rates despite pandemic-era job losses, improved ability to meet children's material/emotional needs.
Application Process
- How to apply
Mothers apply during periodic application windows Springboard opens ahead of each new cohort, submitting household income, family size, and address; applicants must already reside in one of Springboard's partner subsidized housing communities in Jackson. Selected applicants are notified individually.
- Selection process
Recipients are chosen by random lottery drawing from the pool of eligible applicants rather than competitive/merit-based review. Springboard to Opportunities administers the drawing before each new cohort begins.
