UBI for Foster Youth Pilot (Transition-Age Youth Basic Income Pilot, First Cohort)
Santa Clara County's Transition-Age Youth Basic Income Pilot (First Cohort) gave 72 young adults aging out of the foster care system unconditional $1,000 monthly cash payments for a total of 18 months, funded by county public funds plus private/philanthropic support. The pilot was administered by the County of Santa Clara Office of the County Executive; Community Financial Resources issued prepaid debit cards, and Excite Credit Union and MyPath jointly provided optional financial mentoring to participants. Created in 2020 at the request of then-Supervisor (now State Senator) Dave Cortese, it was billed as the first UBI-style program in the nation targeted specifically at former foster youth. A second GBI cohort for former foster youth began payments in August 2023 as part of the County's expanded guaranteed income initiative.
Foster Youth, First-in-Nation, Financial Mentoring, County-Administered, Prepaid Debit Card
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- County of Santa Clara, Office of the County Executive
- City
- San Jose
- State / Province
- California
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 408 299 5105
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 72
- Funding type
- Government, Philanthropic, Corporate
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 18,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 1,000 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 18 months
- Distribution Type
- Prepaid Debit Card
- Benefit details
Participants received $1,000/month via a prepaid debit card issued by Community Financial Resources, for an initial 12-month period that was later extended by 6 months (18 months total) with an added $500,000 County investment. Enrollment was through referral only (via county social workers), not an open application. Participants could optionally receive financial mentoring from Excite Credit Union coaches trained by MyPath, and could optionally complete periodic surveys (baseline August 2020, follow-ups through a post-pilot survey in September 2022).
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible youth were born between January 1, 1996 and April 29, 1996 (so they aged out at 24), had an open Santa Clara County dependency case between ages 16-21, were currently residing in Santa Clara County, and consented to an intake process. Recipients generally ranged in age from about 21 to 24 at enrollment. There was no income limit; eligibility was based on foster-youth status and county residency, not financial need.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 21
- Maximum age
- 24
Family
- Family Status
- Foster Youth
Geography
- US states covered
- California
- Countries covered
- United States
- Counties covered
- Santa Clara
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Research / participation requirements
Participants could voluntarily complete a baseline survey (August 2020), interim surveys (e.g., March 2021), and a post-pilot survey (September 2022), and could voluntarily engage in financial mentoring provided by MyPath-trained Excite Credit Union coaches. Participation in both surveys and mentoring was limited due to its voluntary nature. Reported outcomes (County of Santa Clara and MyPath's June 2022 'Guaranteed Income Plus Financial Mentoring Pilot Brief') included decreased homelessness (11% to 5%), increased full-time school enrollment (13% to 33%), increased full-time employment (44% to 58%), and increased banked status (72% to 88%).
Application Process
- How to apply
There was no open application; eligible youth were identified and referred through Santa Clara County's child welfare/social worker system based on birth-date range and dependency-case history, then invited to consent to an intake process to enroll.
- Selection process
All 72 participants were youth meeting specific criteria (born Jan 1 - Apr 29, 1996; open Santa Clara County dependency case between ages 16-21; residing in Santa Clara County) identified via county records/social workers and enrolled after consenting to intake; selection was not competitive.
