Guaranteed Income (GI) is a simple but powerful concept: giving community members direct, no-strings-attached cash so they can take care of what matters most. Research shows that when families have the financial breathing room they need, stress goes down, stability grows, and new opportunities open up. At Monument Impact, we believe deeply in GI because we’ve seen how it can ease the strain of daily life and honor that families who know best what they need.
Guaranteed income is a way to show trust, care, and respect for the people in our community. With the support of the City of Concord, John Muir Community Health Fund, Latino Community Foundation and Antioch Community Foundation, our commitment to listening to our community has helped us build two pilot programs: Elevate Concord and Elevate East County.
Through these efforts, we’re supported over 120 families, offering support that creates space for hope, possibility, and a little more ease in everyday life.
In partnership with the City of Concord, we launched ELEVATE Concord in 2023: a pilot program provided cash to 120 randomly selected single parent families with no strings attached.
On November 6, 2023, ELEVATE Concord’s participating families received their first payment of $500. These monthly payments continued for a year. Recognizing the high cost of housing in Concord, ELEVATE has also provided participants a one-time gift of $2,500 to help stabilize their housing. To be eligible for ELEVATE Concord, applicants had to meet the following criteria:
We are grateful for the opportunity to facilitate Concord’s first Guaranteed Income pilot. Read more about Momentos, a photo walk showcasing images taken by participants that highlight the achievements made possible by unrestricted cash.
“The very low incomes of our ELEVATE Concord participants provides an insight into the hidden poverty in Concord and the dire need for cash assistance. And, with the high rents here, it’s no wonder that 46% of our families rent a room in someone else's home. ”
On the demographics of our ELEVATE participants
ELEVATE Concord is in the News!
Application & Implementation Partners
UpTogether
Cesar Chavez Center/Unity Council
New Hope Church
Family Justice Center
First 5 Center
Funding Partners
City of Concord
Latino Community Foundation
Y&H Soda Foundation
Antioch Community Foundation (East County Pilot)
John Muir Community Health Fund (East County Pilot)
Thought Partners
Community Financial Resources
Guaranteed Income Community of Practice/Economic Security Council
Momentum/Marin Community Foundation
Hope SF
Mayors for Guaranteed Income
Elevate East County is our second Guaranteed Income pilot and is intended to address the unique needs, assets, challenges, and contexts of East Contra Costa community college student parents. Through providing a guaranteed income of $500 month for 12 months to 20 young families, Elevate East County will foster stability for student parents, support their persistence in school, and help sustain healthy and vibrant communities.
Recent data from Contra Costa’s community colleges shows that the County’s student parents face significant caregiving, financial, and academic pressures and are disproportionately affected by basic needs insecurity. They are nearly twice as likely to leave school for preventable reasons, and financial difficulties are the top reason they’re unable to persist and graduate.
It’s more than a check, it’s the freedom everyone deserves. The time has come for a proven policy: cash, with no strings attached.
Contact Julia Quintero, ELEVATE Project Manager at julia@monumentimpact.org.
Economic Security Project advocates for ideas that build economic power for all Americans. Head to their website for more information about Guaranteed Income.
