Project Resilience
Project Resilience was the first county-led guaranteed income pilot in the United States, run by Ulster County, New York in partnership with the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley and Ulster Savings Bank. It provided 100 low-income households with monthly unconditional cash payments of $500 from May 2021, extended through September 2022 with a phased-down amount in the final three months. The program was funded entirely through private donations to the county's Project Resilience relief fund, with no taxpayer dollars used. The University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) designed the study, selected participants, and evaluated outcomes against a randomized control group.
Rural, First County-Led Guaranteed Income Pilot, CGIR Evaluated, COVID-19 Relief Origin
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Ulster County Government
- City
- Kingston
- State / Province
- New York
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://ulstercountyny.gov
- Phone
- +1 845 340 3800
- exec@co.ulster.ny.us
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 100
- Funding type
- Philanthropic, Nonprofit
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 7,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 411.76 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 17 months
- Distribution Type
- Debit Card, Direct Deposit
- Benefit details
Participants received $500 per month for the first 12 months (May 2021 through April 2022). The program was then extended for five additional months through September 2022, with payments phasing down to $400 in July 2022, $350 in August 2022, and $250 in September 2022. Total disbursement per recipient was approximately $7,000 over the 17-month program. Ulster Savings Bank set up bank accounts and issued debit cards to participating households, and funds could be used without restriction.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible households had to be Ulster County residents with annual household income at or below $46,900, equal to 80% of the area median income. Over 3,500-4,200 residents applied online before the March 15, 2021 deadline. The University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research selected 100 participants and an 84-person control group through a randomized, geographically distributed lottery; Ulster County officials had no role in selection.
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $46,900
- Income as % of Area Median Income
- 80 %
Geography
- US states covered
- New York
- Countries covered
- United States
- Counties covered
- Ulster
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
The program was evaluated by the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice's Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR), which compared the 100-person treatment group to an 84-person randomized control group using mixed-methods research over the 17-month disbursement period. Findings were published November 15, 2023 as the first report in the CGIR series 'The American Guaranteed Income Studies,' authored by Elizabeth DeYoung, Amy Castro, Nidhi Tandon, Allison Thompson, and Stacia West.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were accepted online through the county's Project Resilience portal; the application window closed March 15, 2021. Applications are no longer being accepted as the program concluded in 2022.
- Selection process
Selection was conducted by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income via a randomized, geographically distributed lottery among eligible applicants, producing a 100-person treatment group and an 84-person control group. Ulster County officials were not involved in choosing participants.
