Quatinga Velho Basic Income (ReCivitas Basic Income Startup)
A privately-funded, unconditional 'lifetime basic income' paid by the Brazilian NGO Instituto ReCivitas to residents of Quatinga Velho, a rural village in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo. Started as an experimental pilot in October 2008 (paying ~30 BRL/month to about 100 residents through 2014), it was relaunched in January 2016 as the permanent 'Basic Income Startup', paying 40 BRL (~USD 10) per month per person, intended to last at least 20 years per recipient. In November 2022 ReCivitas reported it had scaled to 111 participants receiving combined transfers (~150 BRL/month) before restructuring toward a capitalized reserve fund (FRRB) that deposits an initial 10,000 BRL for each resident aged 0-3 to generate permanent, self-sustaining income. Funded entirely by private donations and ReCivitas's own resources, with no government funding.
Lifetime basic income, Privately-funded, Rural village, Direct democracy, Unconditional cash transfer, One of world's longest-running basic income pilots
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Instituto ReCivitas (ReCivitas Institute for the Revitalization of Citizenship)
- City
- Quatinga Velho (village), Mogi das Cruzes
- State / Province
- São Paulo
- Country
- Brazil
Contact
- Website
- https://www.recivitas.org
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Rolling
- Number of recipients
- 111
- Funding type
- Nonprofit, Philanthropic
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- BRL
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- Ongoing / unconditional
- Yes
- Distribution Type
- Cash, Bank Deposit
- Benefit details
Phase 1 (2008-2015) paid 30 BRL/month in cash to up to ~100-111 volunteer residents. Phase 2 'Basic Income Startup' (launched Jan 2016) pays 40 BRL (~USD 10)/month per person, funded by donations plus ReCivitas's own Basic Income Fund, with amounts and inclusion decided democratically by the community. A November 2022 update reported a combined transfer level of 150 BRL/person/month to 111 participants before closing that phase. Since Nov 2022, ReCivitas has been shifting to the 'FRRB' reserve-fund model, depositing an initial 10,000 BRL per child aged 0-3 into an interest-bearing account to fund a permanent basic income as they grow. No conditions or means-testing are applied to receive the income.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Open to residents of the small rural village of Quatinga Velho (Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo). New participants/communities may be proposed and are admitted through direct democratic vote of existing members; there is no formal application or means-test. Historically prioritized needy households; the 2022 FRRB fund model prioritizes children aged 0-3 first, then expands progressively to other residents by age and need.
Demographics
- Language
- Portuguese
Geography
- Countries covered
- Brazil
- Cities covered
- Quatinga Velho (Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo)
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Research / participation requirements
Not required to participate, but ReCivitas has published multiple academic reports, analytical studies, and hosted independent researchers (e.g., Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, ECLAC/UN studies) documenting outcomes; participants have periodically been interviewed for these studies on a voluntary basis.
Application Process
- How to apply
No formal application process exists; individuals/communities express interest to ReCivitas or to the existing Quatinga Velho community, and admission is decided by direct democratic vote of current participants. Historically, ReCivitas also pledged that new donations (e.g., every €1,000 raised) would fund a new lifetime recipient.
- Selection process
New recipients are selected/approved via direct democracy by the existing community of participants; ReCivitas suggests contribution/eligibility parameters but does not have veto power. Under the 2022 FRRB fund model, inclusion is prioritized progressively: youngest residents (age 0-3) first, then older residents, then other needy communities, as capital becomes available.
