California Partners With Philanthropy to Boost Guaranteed Income Pilot Program

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom Dec. 15 announced the launch of the guaranteed income pooled fund, a philanthropic endeavor to help organizations fund their guaranteed income pilot programs by helping pilot projects unlock more than $25 million in grants from the state.

How it Works:
The Pooled Fund will support select state-funded guaranteed income pilot projects in need of additional resources to launch, sustain or enhance their pilot. The pilot projects will collectively provide more than 1,975 Californians – primarily former foster youth and pregnant people – with $600 to $1,200 per month, for 12 to 18 months. 

• Contributing toward required matched funding: To receive funding from the State, pilot project awardees are required to match 50% or more of the State’s award. The pooled fund announced Dec. 15 it will assist the pilot projects with this requirement.
• Promoting geographic equity: Awardees come from across the state, including rural and tribal communities that are under-resourced. The pooled fund will distribute grants to awardees from these areas to ensure distributed access to additional resources.
• Enabling further pilot learnings: Awardees have the opportunity for both formal and informal learning through implementation of these pilots. The pooled fund will seek to strengthen these opportunities, potentially through direct evaluation support, increasing pilot scale, or funding for deeper integration of community expertise.

Philanthropic investments are key to the success of the guaranteed income pilots, ensuring that recipients do not risk losing family-sustaining public benefits.

Pooled fund contributors include: Sierra Health Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, and the Weingart Foundation, with further contributions expected.

Pooled Fund partners expect to host an upcoming funder briefing to provide the philanthropic community with more information regarding this and other opportunities to support guaranteed income initiatives in the state.