Direct Cash Pilots in Minnesota

Springboard for the Arts: Guaranteed Income Pilot for Artists

2021 to 2026

Springboard for the Art’s Guaranteed Income for Artists pilot supports 100 artists across Minnesota for a total of 5 years, making it one of the longest running pilot programs in the nation. Springboard's pilot provides a national model for the inclusion of artists in policies that address economic inequity.

100

$500

per month for 5 years

Minnesota artists

“Having a little comfort means I can go back to creating. Before, I couldn’t create unless it was generating income. I couldn’t justify it.”

- Springboard Pilot Participant

“This is the first time I’ve really felt supported as an artist.”

- Springboard Pilot Participant

“I’ve literally been using [my guaranteed income] to restart, or kickstart, my career from a bit of a dead zone.”

- Springboard Pilot Participant

Artnet News

100 Minnesota Artists Are Receiving Guaranteed Income for Five Years

Youthprise: One MN Homeless Youth Stipend PIlot

Ongoing

Youthprise's One MN Homeless Youth Stipend Pilot provides flexible payments directly to youth to support housing stability. The program uses a "cash plus" model to provide an intervention strategy for transitional-aged youth (ages 18 to 24) who are experiencing homelessness. The pilot connects 135 young adults across Hennepin County and the St. Louis County/Duluth area, including youth from the Bois Forte Tribal Community, with direct cash stipends and comprehensive, youth-directed support.

Partners in this pilot include Bois Forte Tribal Community, YES Duluth, Life House Duluth, LSS - Virginia and the Range, Youthlink.

135

$900-$1,000

for 24 months

Young adults experiencing homelessness

”I have enough to eat! I’m now able to job search and work on resumes and formulate a budget and start saving!”

"My case manager is AMAZING, makes sure to check up on me once a week just to see how I’m doing. I really really appreciate that."

Here's what Youthprise participants are saying:

“Graduated nursing school! Just have to take my boards and I have a job lined up to be a RN in the ICU.”

“I’m 50% finished with my GED!”

“I’ve got an apartment for me and my baby.”

“Having a home feels good.”

Birth Justice Collaborative: Postpartum Home Visiting and Cash Support Pilot

Spring 2024 to Summer 2025

Pilot a 15 month post-partum support program for the first year after birth including Postpartum Home Visiting and a Cash Support Pilot. Participants had access to a variety of supportive resources including food boxes, financial counseling, and fifteen months of nostrings-attached cash support – $800/month for 12 months and $300/month during a three-month winddown period.

42

$800

per month for 12 months + $300/month for 3 months

Parents

Using a mixed-method approach and validated scales, these are the pilot participant results and outcomes of the BJC Postpartum Support Pilot conducted from Spring 2024-Summer 2025.

Download BJC Postpartum Support Evaluation Report

Economic Mobility Hub: Guaranteed Basic Income Program for American Indian families with children who live in Ramsey County

July 2023 - July 2025

The Economic Mobility Hub for American Indians, a partnership of Interfaith Action's Department of Indian Work and the Montessori American Indian Childcare Center launched a Guaranteed Basic Income Program. Participating families have designed their own 7 Generations Family Plan and will participate in family-centered coaching. The program acknowledges and addresses the systemic and historic factors that have contributed to the socio-economic struggles for many American Indian families and takes a multi-generational approach to addressing economic mobility in our community.

26

$500

per month for 24 months

American Indian families

The City of Saint Paul: CollegeBound Boost

October 2022 to July 2025

CollegeBound Boost provided 333 low-income families enrolled in the CollegeBound Saint Paul program with a combination of $500 in guaranteed income payments each month for 2 years and deposits of $1,000 each for their child’s CollegeBound Saint Paul college savings account.

333

$500

per month for 2 years + $1,000 CollegeBound savings deposit

Low-income families

Hennepin County: Raise the Baseline Pilot

December 2023 to December 2024

Raise the Baseline is a pilot cash transfer program that provides monthly payments to residents who were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Families receive monthly payments they can use to meet their family’s basic needs and plan for the future. After 12 months of full payments, participants receive a partial payment for three months as they prepare to exit the program.

174

Low income families with children under age 5

The City of Minneapolis: Guaranteed Basic Income Program

June of 2022 to June 2024

The City of Minneapolis piloted a Guaranteed Basic Income Program for 200 households who received $500 from the City every month for two years with the goal of providing families with flexibility to balance immediate needs with long-term investments.

200

$500

per month for 2 years

Low income families

International Institute of Minnesota: Guaranteed Income Program for Immigrants

August 2022 to August 2023

The International Institute of Minnesota, a St. Paul refugee resettlement agency, launched the nation's first guaranteed income program for immigrants, giving 25 families $750 a month for 12 months.

25

$750

per month for 12 months

Immigrant families

Wilder Foundation: Rai$e

January 2022 to January 2023

Wilder Foundation launched Rai$e, a guaranteed income program that provided families $500 a month for 12 months. 72 families joined the first cohort in January, and 75 families joined the second cohort later in the year.

147

$500

per month for 12 months

Low income families

The City of Saint Paul: People's Prosperity Pilot

October 2020 to March 2022

The People’s Prosperity Guaranteed Income Pilot provided 150 Saint Paul families with $500 per month in guaranteed income for a period of 18 months. The People's Prosperity Pilot was the first guaranteed income program run inside city government and with public funds through the CARES Act and MN Department of Human Services.

150

$500

per month for 18 months

Saint Paul families

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 St. Paul, MN (PPP)'s Evaluation Report

Contact Us

Have a question? Interested in launching a pilot program through your own organization? Want to see how you can get more involved? We'd love to hear from you!