WCAC received $250,000 from the City of Worcester SLFRF ARPA funds to conduct a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) pilot. WCAC will provide a guaranteed monthly income to 52 low-income families over two years, testing the strength and sustainability of self-determined, humanized choice tied to goal setting for families seeking to confront income volatility and gain greater economic independence. Guaranteed income will allow clients to take risks and fill wage gaps as they explore career pathways or attend trainings while supporting their families. This pilot program will further financial stability while focusing on self-determined goals around critical needs such as housing, employment, and health.
WCAC will use a tiered approach based on individual need for selecting the amount families will receive per month, ranging from $100 to $500 per month. Families will have access to additional support through cohort-style financial empowerment workshops or coaching and a menu of financial empowerment tools.
The pilot is expected to launch in early to mid-Fall 2023. Participants must meet eligibility requirements and will be selected through referrals from several of WCAC’s community partners.
While the final criteria and process to select program participants is being fine tuned, interested households are encouraged to submit an inquiry form through WCAC’s Financial Empowerment program. Learn more here .
In the News