City of Alameda Guaranteed Income Pilot Program
The City of Alameda has developed Rise Up Alameda, a guaranteed income pilot program that will provide $1,000 per month to 150 low-income Alameda households over a two-year period. The Alameda City Council directed the use of $4.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for The application period will begin at 9 am Pacific Time on Friday, September 8, 2023. The goals of Rise Up Alameda are to reduce economic instability for program participants, help to change local narratives and perceptions surrounding poverty and the provision of public benefits and help to support and inform the larger discussion regarding public benefits and anti-poverty policies.
Program Info
- People experiencing or at risk of homelessness
- Immigrant, refugee, and limited English-speaking communities
- Historically disenfranchised groups including Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color
- Low-income families, including senior citizens
- Affordable housing tenants/renters
- People with disabilities
- Alameda families with children, youth, and College of Alameda students
Partners
City Sponsor: City of Alameda
The City of Alameda has assisted with the development and implementation of Rise Up Alameda, provides oversight of the program partners, and supports the promotion of the program.
Implementing Partner: Operation Dignity
Operation Dignity, as the program administrator, will provide program support, collect applications from potential recipients, oversee the selection and enrollment of recipients, and collaborate with partners on outreach and communication efforts.
Financial Partner
The Financial Partner will oversee the distribution of monthly payments to program participants.
Research Partner: Abt Associates
The research collected through Rise Up Alameda will help further our understanding of the program’s effects on economic mobility and financial stability. In addition, the data collected will contribute to a growing body of research on guaranteed income and anti-poverty policies more broadly.
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board is composed of community and advocacy organizations, individuals with lived experience, and City staff. The Advisory Board will help inform decision-making on key programmatic elements.
Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI)
MGI was founded by former Stockton mayor Michael Tubbs and his staff after creating Stockton’s first-of-its-kind guaranteed income pilot program: Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED). Through philanthropic support, MGI provides its expertise and guidance to local governments free of charge. As part of MGI’s coalition, Rise Up Alameda is receiving technical support, and joins this community of national pilot programs that share best practices, and lessons learned and are continuously learning from each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I am eligible to apply?
- Applicants must be:
- 18 years of age or older,
- A resident of the City of Alameda, and
- Have a household income at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (see chart below).
| Household Size (number of people) |
Income Limit (50% AMI) |
| 1 | $51,800 |
| 2 | $59,200 |
| 3 | $66,600 |
| 4 | $73,950 |
| 5 | $79,900 |
| 6 | $85,800 |
| 7 | $91,700 |
| 8 | $97,650 |
How do I apply?
The application period will begin at 9 am Pacific Time on Friday, September 8, 2023, and end at 9 am Pacific Time on Monday, September 18, 2023. Applications for Rise Up Alameda will be accepted at abtsurvey.com/Alameda in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Arabic, Korean, and Vietnamese. In addition, the City is providing multilingual application support and computer access—available on a first come, first serve basis—at the Alameda Free Library, Mastick Center, and Alameda Point Collaborative. Click here for more details.
How will participants be selected?
How will the selected 150 participants be notified?
Once the 150 participants have been randomly selected, Operation Dignity will reach out to each individual via phone/email to notify them that they have been selected to participate in the program and receive the $1,000 monthly payments. The money has no strings attached which means you can spend it on anything you want – groceries, school, car payments, gas money, and any other personal expenses.
Following notification of program selection, we will provide participants with one-on-one orientation sessions. We will explain how the program works, how to enroll, and review with participants their existing benefits, and if/how they may be impacted by enrolling in Rise Up Alameda. After being made aware of the potential impacts to existing benefits, all participants will be required to give their consent to join the program.
What Is The Status Of The Selection Process For Rise Up Alameda?
The application period is now closed. We are still in the process of finalizing who will be a part of Rise Up Alameda. Those who have not been randomly selected to participate in the program will be notified by email by the end of January 2024.
What steps will Rise Up Alameda take to limit the impacts on other benefits program(s) participants receive?
Rise Up Alameda is committed to ensuring that participants do not suffer economically by participating in the program. In addition to seeking income exemptions for benefit programs such as CalWORKS and CalFRESH, the City is creating an approximately $50,000 “Benefit Conservation Fund”, designed to compensate recipients if they become ineligible for Federal, State, County, and/or local benefits due to receiving payments.
The City and Operation Dignity are committed to providing accessible and transparent information, as well as case-by-case benefits counseling, about the potential loss of benefits due to participation in Rise Up Alameda.
Before finalizing program participation, Operation Dignity will confirm that selected participants in Rise Up Alameda have elected to participate while being fully aware of potential impacts on existing benefits. Complete and active consent of all Rise Up Alameda participants is required.
How will cash payments be disbursed?
Why is having a research partner important?
For more information about Rise Up Alameda, please contact Operation Dignity at riseupalameda@operationdignity.org, 510-287-8465 x118, or the City of Alameda’s Community Development Department at GI@alamedaca.gov.
Address
City Hall West, 950 West Mall Square,
Room 205, Alameda, CA 94501
(City offices are closed Fridays)
Phone
(510) 287 - 8465 x118
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