Project 100+
Project 100+ was GiveDirectly's COVID-19 emergency cash relief program, described by the organization as the largest privately-funded cash transfer program in U.S. history. It delivered one-time $1,000 payments to nearly 200,000 low-income households across nearly every U.S. state (all but Wyoming), plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, between April 2020 and October 2021. The program was funded entirely by private donations and philanthropic/corporate supporters, including Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Google.org, Flourish, NBA Cares, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. GiveDirectly partnered with Propel (maker of the Providers SNAP-benefits app) and Stand for Children to identify and reach recipients, though GiveDirectly managed the end-to-end transfer process itself. The program has since concluded and is closed to new donations or recipients.
COVID-19, Largest Privately-Funded US Cash Transfer Program, Multi-State, One-Time Payment, SNAP-Adjacent Population, Low-Income
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- GiveDirectly, Inc.
- City
- New York
- State / Province
- New York
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 646 504 4837
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 200,000
- Funding type
- Philanthropic, Corporate
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 1,000 USD
- Payment frequency
- Lump Sum
- Benefit details
Each eligible household received a single one-time cash payment of $1,000. GiveDirectly managed the entire transfer process end-to-end, though it partnered with Propel and Stand for Children to help identify and reach recipients. The program is now fully closed, with all funds distributed as of October 2021. Recipients were reached in every U.S. state except Wyoming, as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Recipients were selected at random from among users of Propel's "Providers" app, a free tool used to manage SNAP (food stamp) benefits, indicating a low-income target population. A small fraction of app users who completed an in-app enrollment form (when it periodically appeared) were chosen to receive a transfer as funds became available. There was no way to directly apply or request funds, and GiveDirectly could not respond to individual requests. No specific income threshold, household size, or demographic eligibility criteria were published.
Health
- Health conditions
- COVID-19
Geography
- Countries covered
- United States
Application Process
- How to apply
There was no direct application process. The only way to register interest was by completing an enrollment form that periodically appeared inside the Propel "Providers" app. GiveDirectly did not accept individual requests for cash transfers, and the program is now closed to new registrants.
- Selection process
A small, random fraction of Providers app users who completed the enrollment form were selected to receive a $1,000 cash transfer as program funds became available.
