Xiente's Guaranteed Income
Xiente, a Philadelphia nonprofit formerly known as the Norris Square Community Alliance, runs a Guaranteed Income pilot as part of its broader Prosperity Project, which aims to help up to 500 families move from poverty to the middle class. Ten families in the Norris Square neighborhood receive $500 per month for 14 months in unconditional cash, paired with a personal economic mobility coach, affordable housing, and financial and housing counseling. Eligible families earn between 30% and 60% of the area median income. The pilot is privately funded by the Vanguard Group Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and is being evaluated by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research, with findings expected in 2027.
Place-based, Norris Square neighborhood, Affordable housing pairing, Economic mobility coaching, Latino community, Gentrification resilience
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Xiente
- City
- Philadelphia
- State / Province
- Pennsylvania
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://www.xiente.org/
- Phone
- +1 215 426 8734
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 10
- Funding type
- Nonprofit, Philanthropic, Corporate
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 7,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 14 months
- Benefit details
Participants receive $500 per month for 14 months in unconditional cash that can be spent however the family chooses. Payments are paired with a dedicated personal economic mobility coach and access to financial training, digital training, job search assistance, educational options, and a HUD housing coach. The pilot launched with 10 families, most of whom already live in affordable housing provided by Xiente. Xiente stated intentions (as of May 2025) to expand the pilot to 20 families, but no source confirms this expansion occurred.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible households must earn between 30% and 60% of area median income (for a family of four in Philadelphia, roughly $34,400 to $68,820 annually per 2024 HUD limits). The pilot is place-based and rooted in the Norris Square section of North Philadelphia (Kensington), a historically Latino, low-income neighborhood. Most selected families were already engaged with Xiente's Prosperity Project / affordable housing programs.
Family
- Family Status
- Parent, Single Parent
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $68,820
Geography
- US states covered
- Pennsylvania
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Philadelphia
- Counties covered
- Philadelphia
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Complementary program enrollment required
- Economic Mobility Coaching, Housing Counseling, Financial Counseling
- Research / participation requirements
The University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research (School of Social Policy & Practice) is evaluating the pilot as one of its listed pilot sites. Xiente also independently tracks participant earnings at program start and end to assess job training gains or career changes. Researchers survey participants on financial stability (credit, savings, debt), career advancement, stress, and quality of life. Results are expected to be published in a study in early 2027.
Application Process
- How to apply
No public, open application process is documented. Participants appear to be selected from families already engaged with Xiente's Prosperity Project / prosperity lab (which has over 100 enrolled families) and its affordable housing program in the Norris Square neighborhood. Interested families can express interest through Xiente's general 'become a prosperity client' contact option on xiente.org.
- Selection process
The 10 pilot families were drawn from those already receiving affordable housing and economic mobility coaching through Xiente, and had to meet the 30%-60% area median income requirement. Xiente is a place-based organization rooted in Norris Square, so participants are concentrated in that neighborhood.
