Growing Resilience in Tacoma (GRIT)
Growing Resilience in Tacoma (GRIT) was launched in 2021 by Mayor Victoria Woodards.
110
participants
$500
monthly payment
13 Months
duration
$715,000
invested in community
| Program Features | |
|---|---|
| Number of Participants | 110 individuals |
| Amount | $500 |
| Frequency | monthly |
| Program Dates | December 2021-December 2022 |
| Eligibility | At least 18 years of age; reside in Tacoma neighborhoods of Eastside, Hilltop, South Tacoma or the South End; single income household with children living in the home up to age 17 or children with disabilities up to age 21; with annual income between 100% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. |
About Growing Resilience in Tacoma (GRIT)
The Growing Resilience In Tacoma (GRIT) demonstration is a collaborative effort between United Way of Pierce County and the City of Tacoma. GRIT is a 12-month guaranteed income program that gifts 110 Tacoma families $500 a month in unconditional and unrestricted cash. All 110 participants are employed and are anywhere between 100 and 200% of the federal poverty level, single income earner households with children, and reside in certain geographic areas in the city. Frequently, these families are those that make just a bit too much to be eligible for public assistance but not enough to receive the assistance they need. GRIT is focused on creatively changing the narrative on poverty and deservedness. GRIT also acts as an advocate and leader for legislative progress as it advises on the design of a statewide guaranteed income bill for the state of Washington. GRIT is funded by a mixture of public and private funds and is set to end in November 2022.
Pilot concluded in 2022.
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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
GRIT
$26,550
Tacoma, WA
$80,784
Annual Household Income (Mean)
$25,250
Sample Size
110
Avg. Age of Respondent
39
Avg. Children in Household
2
Avg. Household Size
3
gendermarital statuschildren in household
Male
16%
Female
83%
Other
1%
Married
12%
Single
75%
Partnered/In-Relationship
14%
Yes
95%
No
5%
race
White
24%
African American
26%
American Indian/Alaska Native
2%
Asian
5%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
5%
Latino
5%
Other/Mixed
39%
ethnicityprimary language at home
Hispanic
15%
Non-Hispanic
85%
English
96%
Spanish
3%
Other
1%
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 Tacoma, WA. 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 41.3%, followed by Food and groceries (28.18%) and Housing & Utilities (11.89%).
