Providence Guaranteed Income Program
The Providence Guaranteed Income Program was launched in 2021 by Mayor Jorge Elorza.
110
participants
$500
monthly payment
1.5 Years
duration
$990,000
invested in community
| Program Features | |
|---|---|
| Number of Participants | 110 individuals |
| Amount | $500 |
| Frequency | monthly |
| Program Dates | November 2021-April 2023 |
| Eligibility | Providence resident, 18 years or older, with income below 200% of the federal poverty level |
About the Providence Guaranteed Income Program
The Providence Guaranteed Income Program is administered by Amos House and is being evaluated by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research. Researchers are looking at the impact this supplemental income has on participants’ economic volatility, employment status, physical and mental well-being, civic engagement, and parental engagement in their children’s education. Participants were selected from an applicant pool via a lottery conducted by our research team, which was weighted to ensure that the participants were representative of the Providence population living in poverty. The participants’ average monthly income, pre-pilot, was $1,094, meaning these payments represent a 46% average increase in their income. The initial 12 months of our pilot were funded entirely through private philanthropy. In the summer of 2022, the City was able to extend the pilot for an additional six months, thanks to our American Rescue Plan award. (photo credit: Josephine Sittenfeld)
Data last updated October 1, 2024.
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COMMUNITY FEATURES
$44,797
$38,000
Median household income
21.2%
20%
Poverty rate
37.3%
31%
Housing burden
31.2%
40%
Childcare cost burden
8.5%
8%
Unemployment rate
STOCKTON
STATE MEDIAN
Demographic Data for Study Participants
Median Annual Household income
PGIP
$10,266
Providence, RI
$64,184
Annual Household Income (Mean)
$12,361
Sample Size
110
Avg. Age of Respondent
42
Avg. Children in Household
1
Avg. Household Size
3
gendermarital statuschildren in household
Male
24%
Female
76%
Other
0%
Married
12%
Single
80%
Partnered/In-Relationship
8%
Yes
61%
No
39%
race
White
31%
African American
19%
American Indian/Alaska Native
2%
Asian
5%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
2%
Latino
0%
Other/Mixed
41%
ethnicityprimary language at home
Hispanic
45%
Non-Hispanic
55%
English
74%
Spanish
24%
Other
3%
Economic Context for Pilot Participants
The guaranteed income pilot launched during a period of dynamic change and economic challenges for pilot participants. The chart below situates this pilot in the context of unemployment and inflation.
Unemployment
Inflation
Pilot Timeline
Spending Breakdown
The data in this pie chart shows aggregate spending for guaranteed income participants in Providence, RI. This includes all non-cash expenditures from the participants' bank accounts, not just those that are from the guaranteed income they received.
Spending breakdown
Retail sales and services accounted for the largest share of spending, at 37.05%, followed by Food and groceries (30.54%) and Housing & Utilities (9.41%).
