Mothers Rising for Guaranteed Basic Income
Mothers Rising for Guaranteed Basic Income is a guaranteed income pilot run by Rising Communities (formerly Community Health Councils) that gives 100 low-income mothers in South LA's Best Start Region 2 $500/month for at least two years, no strings attached. Targets pregnant women and mothers of young children historically excluded from wealth-building, per Rising Communities' 2020 'Price of Motherhood' study with UCLA. Funded in part by First 5 LA through participatory grantmaking, with cash transfers administered by the Fund for Guaranteed Income (F4GI). Optional financial literacy workshops, career support, diaper distributions, community navigators, and research component available.
Guaranteed income, Mothers, South Los Angeles, Participatory grantmaking, First 5 LA, Perinatal, BIPOC, Diapers
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Rising Communities (formerly Community Health Councils)
- City
- Los Angeles
- State / Province
- California
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 323 295 9372
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 100
- Funding type
- Government, Nonprofit, Philanthropic
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 12,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Biweekly
- How long the program lasts
- 24 months
- Distribution Type
- Debit Card
- Benefit details
$500/month distributed as two payments of $250 twice a month via prepaid debit card, for a minimum of 24 months ($12,000 total). Also receive diaper/wipe distributions and community navigator access. Optional storytelling and financial literacy workshops. Treated as tax-free cash gifts under IRS rules. CalWORKs/CalFresh income exemption waiver secured.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Must live in Best Start Region 2 of South LA (Watts/Willowbrook, West Athens, Broadway Manchester, Compton), self-identify as a mother/caretaker, 18+, pregnant or with at least one dependent child (official FAQ specifies ages 0-2, marketing sometimes says 0-5). Household income at/below 200% FPL, not enrolled in another GBI pilot. Incarceration longer than 3 months ends payments; moving outside the region disqualifies continued payments.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
- Sex
- Female
- Gender
- Female
Family
- Family Status
- Parent, Expecting
- Number of dependents (minimum)
- 1
Financial
- Income as % of Federal Poverty Level
- 200 %
Geography
- US states covered
- California
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Los Angeles, Compton
- Counties covered
- Los Angeles
- ZIP / postal codes covered
- 90002, 90003, 90044, 90047, 90059, 90061, 90220, 90221, 90222, 90223, 90224
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Research / participation requirements
Rising Communities' own researchers manage an optional research component. Every 6 months, participants may be asked for surveys/focus groups tracking financial health, stress/wellbeing, and childhood experiences. Not required to receive benefits.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications for the single cohort opened online January 8, 2024, requiring supporting documentation for age, residency, dependent child/pregnancy status, and income. Interested individuals could join the mailing list for notification. Window has since closed, no new cycle found.
- Selection process
Applicants verifying eligibility with documentation are entered into a lottery; 100 participants selected from the verified-eligible pool.
