To pursue our vision for economic justice, the Greater Washington Community Foundation is putting powerful economic strategies to work in the parts of our community experiencing the deepest disparities in homeownership and income.
With over 100 pilots currently operating around the country, guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to lift people out of poverty and provide greater economic stability for families.
We are proud to be an early adopter and investor in our region’s guaranteed income movement, with investments in programs in Arlington County (Arlington’s Guarantee), Montgomery County (MoCo Boost), and DC/regional (Let’s Go DMV!).
Now, we are excited to partner with the Meyer Foundation and Prince George’s County government to seed the first guaranteed income program in the county. The Prince George’s County Council recently approved legislation to create the $4 million pilot, which now must go through the budget reconciliation process. The exact details and specific population for this pilot are still being determined, but the program could provide up to $800 per month for 24 months to 200 people -- with no strings attached.
This pilot is being designed to give individuals and families increased flexibility and financial freedom to overcome whatever barriers they may face – whether it is meeting basic needs, paying down a debt, moving into permanent housing, furthering their education to secure a better job, or to stop working a second job and instead be home for more family time.
“The Meyer Foundation is glad to support guaranteed income pilot programs throughout our region, and now in Prince George’s County,” says Meyer Foundation President and CEO George L. Askew, M.D. “Programs like these have roots in the movement for racial justice and have emerged as one of the strongest tools available to us to co-create a future in our region where everyone belongs and thrives. We’re proud to partner with the Greater Washington Community Foundation among our growing list of partners to seed this and other local efforts.”
“Our hope is that these pilot programs will continue to stimulate economic mobility and help close the racial wealth gap in DC, Maryland, and Virginia by providing families with the resources, dignity, and agency to decide what’s best for them,” The Community Foundation President and CEO Tonia Wellons added. “In so doing, we help build consensus and public will to make guaranteed income a publicly funded instrument of community stability and prosperity.”
Read more about the Prince George’s pilot program here: