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

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Program Features  
Number of Participants110 individuals
Amount$500
Frequencymonthly
Program DatesDecember 2021-December 2022
EligibilityAt 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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Download Tacoma, WA's Evaluation Report

Read a research report produced by the Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) which offers summaries of key findings, along with in-depth analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data from this pilot.

download the report

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.

Start of Covid-19 PandemicJan 2019MarMayJulSepNovJan 2020MarMayJulSepNovJan 2021MarMayJulSepNovJan 2022MarMayJulSepNovJan 2023MarMayJulSepNovJan 2024MarMayJulSepNovJan 2025MarMayJulSepNovJan 202602468101214161820Unemployment02468101214161820Inflation
Unemployment  
Inflation  
Pilot Timeline
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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%).

Anonymous

“I can breathe easier for a moment instead of worrying myself to death about money, working extra hours, and hours of lost sleep due to the mental/physical effects of not knowing how I will provide for my family.”

Anonymous

Growing Resilience in Tacoma (GRIT)

Tacoma, WA

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