YS EQUITY (YSEQUITY)
YSEQUITY is a guaranteed income pilot run by the Yellow Springs Community Foundation for residents of the Village of Yellow Springs and Miami Township, Ohio, providing $300 per month for 24 months ($7,200 total) to eligible households. It launched in November 2022 with first payments made in January 2023, starting with 30 participants, and has continued as a recurring program adding 15 new participants each spring and fall since. It is funded by private donors and the Community Foundation (with initial startup funds from a Greene County ARPA grant) and is studied in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Center for Guaranteed Income Research and The Ohio State University. As of May 2026 the program had distributed $402,000 to 70 residents since inception, and it is described in program and press materials as the first documented village-scale guaranteed income program in the United States.
Village-scale pilot, Weighted lottery selection, Rural/small-town guaranteed income, Community foundation endowment model, Ohio
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Yellow Springs Community Foundation
- City
- Yellow Springs
- State / Province
- Ohio
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://ysequity.org/
- Phone
- +1 937 767 2655
- info@ysequity.org
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 30
- Funding type
- Philanthropic, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 7,200 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 300 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 24 months
- Distribution Type
- Prepaid Debit Card, Direct Deposit (ACH)
- Benefit details
Participants receive $300 per month for 24 consecutive months ($7,200 total per participant), delivered via a Community Financial Resources (CFR) Visa prepaid debit card or ACH direct deposit. Payments are unconditional with no restrictions on use and no work requirements. Because Ohio counts cash gifts as income under some public-benefit rules, enrolling could reduce SSI, SNAP, or public housing benefits, so free benefits counseling is offered to prospective participants before they commit. Only one person per household may be enrolled at a time, and non-selected or completed applicants must reapply for a future cohort to be reconsidered.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants must be 18 or older, reside in the Village of Yellow Springs or Miami Township, Ohio, and have annual household income at or below roughly 300% of the federal poverty guideline (e.g., $40,770 for a household of one, $83,250 for a household of four, plus $14,160 for each additional member above eight). Selection is via a lottery independently administered by the University of Pennsylvania Center for Guaranteed Income Research, weighted to give greater odds to lower-income applicants and single-parent/single-caregiver households. More than one household member may apply, but only one can be selected per household. Proof of ID and residence is required, which effectively excludes unhoused applicants without a fixed address, though separate local resources are offered to that population.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 18
Family
- Family Status
- Single Parent
- Household size (minimum)
- 1
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $139,890
- Income as % of Federal Poverty Level
- 300 %
Geography
- US states covered
- Ohio
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Yellow Springs
- Counties covered
- Greene
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Research / participation requirements
Program is studied in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Center for Guaranteed Income Research (lottery administration and outcomes research) and The Ohio State University (demographic/onboarding data collection). Beyond the mandatory onboarding session, participation in surveys and storytelling is voluntary. A full research report covering the initial 30 participants was expected to be published in summer 2026 but had not been publicly released as of July 23, 2026.
Application Process
- How to apply
Apply online (or on paper, with volunteer assistance available) at ysequity.org during twice-yearly application windows (May 1–15 and November 1–15); the ~15-minute application includes an eligibility screen and an optional onboarding/demographic survey collected in partnership with The Ohio State University.
- Selection process
Eligible applicants are entered into a random lottery independently administered by the University of Pennsylvania Center for Guaranteed Income Research (Penn CGIR); the lottery is weighted to give greater odds to lower-income applicants and single-parent/single-caregiver households. Only one person per household may be selected, and selected participants attend a single mandatory onboarding session to set up payments.
