Howard County’s new income pilot program is giving 20 families $1,000 per month for the next year.
The Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) pilot program selected families from Columbia, Laurel, Elkridge and Savage.
Each household receives $1,000 for 12 months in “unrestricted economic assistance.” They have the option to extend to 18 months.
“Howard County’s GBI pilot program aims to diminish and uplift families out of poverty, better their lives, and enable them to be more self-sufficient,” County Executive Calvin Ball said. “Through data collection and key outcome measures, this pilot program will inform future County strategies to promote economic mobility and self-sufficiency.”
The pilot program is no longer accepting applications. The success and outcome of the program’s first phase will determine the extension and expansion of the program, if at all.
The Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC) is sponsoring the program through a nonprofit grant. It costs approximately $250,000.
In April, CAC picked 90 households, out of 292 potential families, to move forward in the selection process.
After submitting proof of residency, income and household demographics, CAC used a lottery system to select the 20 participating families. They said it was careful to “exclude families where the additional income would impact eligibility for other [CAC] benefits, such as housing vouchers.”
“This pilot recognizes something that we at CAC see every day, that families are working hard but still struggling to make ends meet,” CAC President Tracy Broccolino said. “By providing unrestricted support, we are not just easing financial burdens, we are giving families the breathing room to plan, to grow, and to pursue stability on their own terms.”
Baltimore City started a similar program in 2022. As part of the city’s GBI program, 200 Baltimore parents between 18 and 24 years old received a monthly $1,000 payment for 24 months.
Results from Baltimore’s pilot program showed that families were more likely to increase their income through housing stability, education, and employment opportunities.
Howard County said the program’s success helps families get “direct, no-strings-attached financial support” for longer-term investments.
“GBI pilot programs have been in place for almost a decade across our nation and implemented most recently by our neighboring jurisdictions,” Ball said. “These impactful programs have demonstrated long-term positive impacts not only on families’ economic stability but also on their emotional availability as parents.”
To be eligible for Howard County’s GBI program, households must have at least one child, be a current CAC client, report a household income between 150 and 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Limits, and more.
Families will take surveys throughout the pilot program, answering questions about quality of life, well-being, income and more.
At the conclusion, CAC said it expects each household to be able to:
- Remain securely housed
- Increase their household incomes
- Create a surplus savings and/or investment account to prepare for emergencies
- Improve budgeting and financial management skills
- Become connected with higher education and additional job skills with targeted employers
- Report a sense of community connectedness
- Pay all household expenses in a timely manner
To learn more about the pilot program, including a potential second phase, visit CAC’s website.
