Today, The Community Foundation is excited to announce the launch of Thrive Prince George’s, a two-year, $4 million guaranteed-income pilot that seeks to provide greater economic stability and mobility for families in the region. The program, which is spearheaded by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Prince George’s County Executive and Council, and the Meyer Foundation, will provide monthly payments of $800 to 50 youth (age 18-24) who have aged out of foster care and 125+ seniors (age 60+) for a 24-month period with no strings attached and no requirements tied to employment.
“Studies have shown that modest guaranteed basic income pilots can decrease poverty by as much as 40%,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We strongly believe that this program will improve the lives of many in Prince George’s County and will reduce the racial wealth gap in a way that makes it viable for the county to consider providing guaranteed basic income for years to come.”
While several pilots are currently operating around the region – including in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, DC, and Montgomery County – this is the first guaranteed income program to exclusively serve residents of Prince George’s County. The $4 million pilot is funded using both public and private philanthropic resources, with participating partners each contributing $1 million to the program.
"This initiative is an innovative example of how we find solutions through public-private partnerships," said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. "Thanks to this collaborative pilot program, we're weaving a stronger social fabric and empowering people to pursue their aspirations with dignity and resilience."
Guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to increasing financial stability. The positive impact of guaranteed income has been studied for decades, with evidence indicating that monthly cash payments can reduce income volatility and support recipients in attaining full-time employment, greater housing stability, improved health outcomes, and more
“I’ve championed the guaranteed basic income program for years because I know it provides an opportunity to tackle poverty and create better quality of life for our residents,” said County Council Member Krystal Oriadha. “My hope is with more jurisdictions moving to implement programs like this, we will see an investment at the state and federal level that will allow these pilots to become permanent. I am excited about partnering with organizations like the Greater Washington Community Foundation to make this dream a reality.”
The Community Foundation will administer the pilot program as part of its Together, We Prosper Campaign for Economic Justice, which is focused on investing in economic strategies that will increase economic mobility to help close the region’s racial wealth gap.
It has also partnered with Court Appointed Special Advocate Prince George’s County (CASA) and United Communities Against Poverty (UCAP), two community-based organizations in Prince George’s County that will lead the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of participants, distribute cash payments, and provide optional benefits counseling to ensure existing safety net services are not compromised by participation in this income-boosting pilot. Other partners include Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, which provides stable environments for at-risk children and adults, Prince George’s ChangeMakers, who has long advocated for the adoption of a guaranteed income program in Prince George’s County, and Capital Area Asset Builders, who works to create opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals in the region.
“The Meyer Foundation has enthusiastically supported a growing number of guaranteed basic income pilots in our region,” said George L. Askew, MD, President and CEO of the Meyer Foundation. “Pilot programs like this one are consistent with our mission to pursue and invest in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community. We’re proud to be supporting this work in Prince George’s County – an area that has experienced continued growth, but where support for residents facing the most significant social, economic, and health challenges remains critical. These public-private partnerships help bring economic justice closer to reality.”
The Community Foundation will measure how the economic status of participants improves over time and plans to design and implement an evaluation program that balances quantitative and qualitative measures that have historically demonstrated client progress and program viability. For more information about Thrive Prince George’s, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/thrive-prince-georges
For those interested in supporting Thrive Prince George’s and other Guaranteed Income Initiatives in our region, click here!
