Americans eligible for monthly direct payments between $50 and $2,000 – the full list of cities and states

MONTHLY cash is going out to Americans in at least 50 places in the country

This is also known as universal basic income (UBI), which is a set of recurring payments that individuals get from the government.

These can be paid out every month, several times a year, or just once annually. 

This is an idea that entrepreneur Andrew Yang, a former Democrat who left the party in 2021, centered his 2020 Presidential campaign around. 

Then, during his run for New York City mayor in 2021, Yang floated the idea of giving half a million of the lowest-income residents $2,000 payments each year. 

And spoiler alert – he did not win. 

Meanwhile, many cities are also giving guaranteed income.

The concept is the same: recurring monthly payments for a set amount of time for eligible individuals, with no strings attached.

The funding for guaranteed income can come from government or private sources.

During the height of the pandemic, multiple Covid-19 relief packages were passed that included stimulus checks to Americans on the federal level.

However, those were not implemented to recur.

Instead, those served the purpose of helping citizens in need stimulate the economy by giving them more money to spend during a financial downturn. 

While it’s unlikely another stimulus package will get passed on the federal level, some states are still giving UBI or guaranteed income to their citizens.

1. Alaska

For a while now, Alaska has been giving its citizens checks under the Permanent Fund Dividend.

The fund was designed to provide state citizens with a portion of state oil revenues. 

The sovereign wealth fund pays out annual dividends to eligible citizens.

To qualify, you must be an Alaskan resident for at least a year - but you're not eligible if you’ve been convicted of state felonies or jailed.

This year, the PFD in combination with a one-off energy payment is worth $3,284 combined this year.

Those who elected to receive their PFD dividend in the form of a direct deposit should expect their payment during the week of October 3.

Meanwhile, paper checks will be sent out during the week of October 6.

2. Alexandria

The Alexandria guaranteed income pilot is giving 150 participants $500 a month for two years.

This Virginia program runs through December 2023.

3. Arizona

Struggling families in Phoenix, Arizona, are receiving $1,000 debit cards for one year.

To be eligible, a family of four’s earnings cannot exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area, which is $63,200.

4. Atlanta

At least 650 Black women in Atlanta, Georgia are receiving monthly $850 payments over the next two years through the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund.

It's available in Atlanta’s historic Old Fourth Ward, but will be expanding to at least two extra sites in Southwest Georgia and the Metro Atlanta suburbs.

5. Birmingham

The city of Birmingham, Alabama is paying single mothers guaranteed income.

A total of 110 mothers are receiving $375 a month for one year.

6. Cambridge

This city right next to Boston is offering guaranteed income to 120 people.

They're receiving $500 a month for 18 months.

The city's mayor looks to extend the program and offer it to more Cambridge residents in a second future phase.

7. Chelsea

In Chelsea, Massachusetts, 2,000 eligible residents receive monthly stipend ranging from $200 to $400 a month.

The payments went out from November 2020 through August 2021.

However, the program has launched a second phase, which will have between 600 and 700 participants.

However, those who are selected will only get the cash for three months.

It aims to help needy residents offset high food costs and high energy costs during the winter.

Applications can be submitted online and will be accepted through January 6 at 12 pm.

8. Chicago

A total of 5,000 low-income people are getting $500 a month for one year as part of Chicago's Resilient Communities pilot program.

The first recipients started receiving direct payments in July.

The city said it's the largest guaranteed income program in the country.

9. Columbia

Struggling dads in Columbia, South Carolina can get recurring support under a city program.

Last year, 100 low-income fathers in Columbia got debit cards worth $500.

10. Compton

The Compton Pledge is Compton, California's largest city-based guaranteed income program.

At least 800 people are receiving $1,800 every three months for two years.

11. Cook County

Also in Chicago, 3,250 are getting $500 in monthly payments for two years.

The first payment was sent out in the middle of December.

12. Denver

Denver, Colorado is offering monthly checks worth up to $1,000 and a $6,500 one-time payment to multiple groups.

Multiple groups consisting of a total of 820 participants will be getting payments later this fall.

One of the groups will give 260 individuals $6,500 upfront, followed by $500 monthly payments for 11 months.

Another tranche will go to 260 people, who will get $1,000 per month for a year.

And the last batch of 300 will get $50 per month for a year.  

The exact groups are randomized.

The first round of payments started going out in November.

13. Durham

In December 2021, Durham, North Carolina launched its Excel pilot program that is giving $600 monthly payments for a year.

Most of the funds for the $700,000 pilot program will be provided by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.

Originally, the program first planned on giving $500 a month, but an anonymous grant increased the monthly amount.

Eligible participants must be at least 18 years old and formerly incarcerated.

While there's no work requirement, if you earn an income, it must not exceed 60% of the area's median income.

Also, incarceration must have taken place within the last five years.

14. Evanston

The city of Evanston, Illinois, has partnered with Northwestern University to launch a pilot program offering $6,000 to 150 residents.

Recipients are selected through a lottery system and the payments are meant to supplement other programs that are already in place.

Once a month for a year, participants will get a $500 preloaded debit card with no restrictions on what it can be used for.

This program is funded mostly by the university and the city, including $700,000 from Federal Rescue Plan funds.

The application window closed on August 29.

15. Gainsville

In Gainesville, Florida, at least 115 formerly incarcerated people will receive $1,000 for the first month, followed by $600 a month for 11 months.

16. Georgia

The state of Georgia has another guaranteed income program called IMPACT, Income Mobility Program for Atlanta Community Transformation.

It aims to help 300 residents who are at least 18 years old and live below 200% of the federal poverty line.

Those who are accepted will get $500 per month in guaranteed income during a 12-month period.

17. Healdsburg

More moms in Healdsburg, California, will be getting a taste of UBI.

The program, which is being worked on by the city and nonprofit organization Corazón Healdsburg, aims to help those early in their motherhood that need to stay at home.

This is because of the financial disadvantage new moms are faced with when they are forced to leave their jobs and care for their child.

To be eligible, you must be at least 18, have one dependent child with income that falls below 200 percent the federal poverty level.

A random lottery selection process that determines who qualifies for the support is under consideration.

A total of 50 households will be getting $600 monthly payments for two years.

The plan was approved in June, reports Northern California Public Media.

18. Houston

Eligible Houston, Texas residents were able to claim for cash under the city's pilot program which will give $375 a month for one year.

Houston residents experiencing economic hardship qualify for the program.

The full list of requirements are as follows:

• Must be a resident of Houston
• Must be at least 18 years old at the time of application
• Must have a household income at or below the federal poverty level

A total of 110 people will be chosen through a selection process.

The application window closed on May 25.

19. Hudson

The HudsonUp program in Hudson, New York is giving out monthly cash.

It's a small group of 25 people who are receiving $500 a month for five years.

20. Jackson

In Jackson, Mississippi, a UBI program has been in place long before the pandemic.

In the fall of 2018, the not-for-profit, Springboard to Opportunities started The Magnolia's Mother's Trust.

It provides low-income, Black mothers in Jackson $1,000 a month for one year with no strings attached.

The initial pilot program helped 20 women from December 2018 to November 2019.

In March 2020, it grew to help 110 mothers.

Currently, it's in its third round of aid giving UBI to 100 mothers in need.

21. Long Beach

Long Beach, California has its guaranteed income pilot program up and running.

Local officials will choose 250 families.

Families who live in the 90813 zip code are eligible to receive $500 monthly payments for one year.

Applications can be submitted online.

22. Los Angeles

Los Angeles has a UBI plan for low-income workers.

The program is called BIG: LEAP.

A total of 3,200 families are getting $1,000 in monthly installments for a year.

Eligible families have incomes that sit at or below the federal poverty line ($26,200 for a four-person family).

23. Los Angeles: Breathe

A separate program in LA is called Breathe.

It's offering $1,000 a month to 1,000 randomly selected families living in Los Angeles.

24. Louisville

Young adults in Louisville, Kentucky will get $500 monthly payments.

The program is called YALift! (Young Adult Louisville Income for Transformation).

The payments will go out to 150 young people between the ages of 18 and 24.

Those eligible need to live in one of the three neighborhoods: California, Russell, and Smoketown.

25. Lynn

In Lynn, Massachusetts, a small group of participants are benefiting from monthly income.

At least 15 new moms are receiving $400 for a child's first three years.

This is sponsored by the Family Health Project.

26. Marin County

Marin County, California has its own guaranteed income program.

For two years, 125 low-income women raising at least one child under 18 years old will receive $1,000 a month.

27. Minneapolis

The city of Minneapolis, Minnesota kicked off its guaranteed basic income pilot program in May 2022.

At least 200 families were chosen to receive $500 every month for two years.

Eligible participants must have an annual income at or below 50% of the area median income for Minneapolis, your situation was affected by the pandemic, and live in a specific zip code within Minneapolis.

28. Minneapolis continued: Saint Paul

In collaboration with Saint Paul, the International Institute of Minnesota (IIM) has launched a universal basic income program for refugees.

Under the program, participants will get $750 in monthly direct payments for 12 months.

To be eligible, your household must have been “resettled” by the IIM and consist of at least one refugee.

Additionally, one of the following must be met.

• Single parents with a child below the age of 15
• One parent needs to be working while another has to have “obstacles to employment” for those in households with four or more children
• Those who can’t work because paperwork processing or other delays out of control are restricting ability to work
• Single adults who can’t or are limited to work because of mental or physical illness

A total of 25 households are enrolled in the UBI program.

It’s unclear if the payments have started going out just yet but IIM said it has launched the program.

29. Mountain View

Mountain View, California, has extended its pilot UBI program for another year, as the city received a $100,000 grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

The program is limited to 166 randomly selected low-income families.

To qualify, household earnings must be below 30 percent of the area median income, which is as follows.

• Household of two: $40,450
• Household of three: $45,450
• Household of four: $50,550
• Household of five: $54,600
• Household of six: $58,650
• Household of seven: $62,700
• Household of eight: $66,750

The deadline to apply for $500 monthly payments was September 25.

30. Mount Vernon

Through a partnership with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income program, Mount Vernon, New York, will send $500 monthly payments to 200 residents for a year.

Income caps vary by household size, but families must make less than 80 percent of the county's average income to qualify.

For a household of four, the limit is $90,000.

Eligible residents had until August 5 to apply online. 

31. Newark

Thanks to Newark, New Jersey expanding its guaranteed income pilot program, 400 residents are getting payments for two years.

The payments totaling $12,000 over two years will be given out in two ways.

Half of those participating in the program will get $250 on a biweekly basis, while the remaining 50 percent will get two payments of $3,000 each year, according to a statement by the city.

The residents in the program were selected after applying online, which was done in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research.

The residents were selected based on the following requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must possess an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line
• Must be adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic

32. New Orleans

Teens in New Orleans, Louisiana are getting $350 in monthly payments as part of the state’s financial literacy program.

The payments started in May 2022 and will last for 10 months.

To qualify, you must be between the ages of 16 and 24 and either unemployed or not in school.

33. New York City

This guaranteed income program is focused solely on New York City mothers.

The Bridge Project expanded to a second phase this past Spring.

For the first phase, 100 low-income mothers are receiving $1,000 a month for three years.

The second phase includes 500 additional low-income and pregnant mothers.

34. New York State

During the pandemic, not many groups have suffered high unemployment quite like artists. 

And that’s why the Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY) initiative was launched by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which supports arts and humanities.  

The CRNY program will provide $125million in relief funds to artists.

Specifically, 2,400 artists in New York state will get $1,000 in payments over 18 months.

Additionally, the program will offer 300 employment opportunities to artists for two years, which will pay $65,000 annually.

35. Oakland

In Oakland, California, 600 families are benefiting from the gift of cash which can be used however they like.

Phase one started in the spring of 2021 when 300 people were chosen to receive $500 for 18 months.

Now, an additional 300 families are receiving the same benefit.

Oakland Resilient Families said the money is coming from philanthropic donations and community organizations.

Eligible families were chosen from a pool of applicants who met requirements including a family with one dependent child under the age of 18, an annual household income no more than 138 percent of the federal poverty line, and families must live in Oakland.

36. Philadelphia

Philadelphia kicked off a guaranteed income pilot program in March.

A monthly payment of $500 will be given to 60 people every month for one year.

The recipients will be chosen from a pool of 1,100 people who currently receive federal aid through TANF or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

37. Portland

The Black Resilience Fund will provide up to 50 Black families in Portland with a guaranteed income for the next three years.

The payments will vary based on income — single adults will get $1,000, families with two to three children will get $1,500 and families with three or more children will get $2,000.

Applications closed on August 15, and the selection process will go from September to October, with final reviews of applications happening during November.

Payments are expected to start going out in December.

38. Providence

In Providence, Rhode Island, 110 people are receiving guaranteed income.

The program started in November 2021 and will run through December 2022.

For one year, participants are receiving $500 a month.

39. Richmond

This is another small, guaranteed income program offering only 18 low-income, working families in Richmond, Virginia, who did not qualify for aid, a monthly stipend.

They're receiving $500 a month for one year through the Richmond Resilience Initiative.

40. Rochester

In December 2021, the Rochester council approved a two-year pilot program.

The program aims to provide $500 payments to 175 low-income families for the first 12 months.

Then, in the following year, a different set of 175 Rochester families would get the $500 monthly payments.

The payments will go out to households at or below 200 percent below the federal poverty level.

The program is set to launch in early 2023 but no exact date has been provided.

41. Rochester part 2

Meanwhile, there is another UBI initiative in Rochester – which specifically targets artists.

Under the Local Sound Collaborative Artist Grants Program, eligible Rochester, New York residents will get $200 direct payments each month for a year.

To be eligible, you must reside in the Greater Rochester area.

And there are a couple of other requirements that must be met.

• Be at least 18 years old
• Identify as a member, worker, and/or engage in the local music community

To be eligible, you must reside in the Greater Rochester area.

The following group of eligible artists includes but is not limited to production engineers, live and studio musicians, as well as sound technicians.

“We are prioritizing folks who have financial needs, but are not asking for any income calculations or financial paperwork,” the program details read.

In 2022, only five will be selected to participate in the UBI program.

Of those, three spots will be prioritized for artists of color.

However, the Local Sound Collaborative is hoping to expand to more artists next year.

Applications were open until September 1.

42. Santa Fe

The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico has the Learn, Earn, Achieve program.

It's giving 100 young parents enrolled at Santa Fe Community College $400 a month for one year.

43. Shreveport

At least 110 residents in Shreveport, Louisiana have received $660 monthly payments for a year.

To get the payments, a resident in the city must be a single parent, with an income 120 percent below the federal poverty line.

The city defines a single parent as a mother, father, stepparent, grandparent, caregiver, or legal guardian with a school-age child.

The child needs to be at least three years old and less than 20 years old as of August 2021.

Also, the city said if you are unmarried, you cannot be living with a partner.

44. Sonoma County

In early September, Sonoma County, California launched a pilot guaranteed income program that will benefit 305 families.

Households that experienced financial hardship during the Covid-19 pandemic will receive unconditional payments of $500 every month for two years.

To participate, you must live in Sonoma County and have a household income of up to 185 percent above the federal poverty level.

Families must also have children under the age of six or be expecting a child to qualify for the cash.

Sonoma County residents can visit PathwaySonoma.org in order to submit their applications.

But time is running out to claim the money.

45. San Francisco

The city of San Francisco, California is offering guaranteed income to transgender residents.

Specifically, those who patriciate in the Guaranteed Income for Trans People program will get $1,200 in monthly direct payments.

You need to be at least 18 years old and live in San Francisco to be eligible.

Financially, applicants must be earning less than $600 per month at the time of their application.

Those who qualify can apply online by submitting personal information including first name, phone number and email address.

The deadline to apply was December 15.

46. South San Francisco

This Bay Area city started sending out money in its guaranteed pilot in November 2021.

About 150 low-income families in South San Francisco should have gotten $500 checks every month for one year.

47. Tacoma

In Tacoma, Washington, 110 people are receiving $500 a month for one year.

The program, run by Growing Resilience in Tacoma, will run through December 2022.

48. Washington, DC

In January 2022, Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a new $1.5million UBI program for new parents in the area.

The Strong Families, Strong Future DC program will provide $900 per month for one year to 132 new and expectant mothers in Wards 5, 7, and 8.

The program is being managed by the nonprofit organization Martha's Table.

49. West Hollywood

Adults in the city of West Hollywood, California are receiving $1,000 monthly payments for 17 months.

Applications closed in March.

50. Wisconsin

A total of 155 families in Madison, Wisconsin, are getting $500 payments for a year under the UBI pilot.

To be eligible, families must have at least one child under 18 in the household and an income under 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Line.

For 2022, the cutoff would be $55,500 for a family of four, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Applications for this program closed on July 3.

We explain four things you need to know about stimulus payments in 2022 and beyond.

Plus, see how families with kids under 13 could get a surprise stimulus payment of $8,000.