Title
Presentation of Rise Up Alameda (Guaranteed Income Pilot Program) Final Report
Body
To: Members of the Social Service Human Relations Board
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On May 17, 2022, City Council (Council) approved a $4.6 million allocation from American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds (ARPA) to develop Rise Up Alameda (RUA), the City’s first-ever guaranteed income pilot program. RUA provided $1,000 per month to 150 low-income Alameda households over a two-year period from 2023 to 2025. The goals of the City’s RUA program were to:
• help reduce economic volatility for program participants;
• change local narratives and perceptions surrounding poverty and sense of community belonging; and
• collect data and contribute to information gathered from other Guaranteed Income programs nationally and inform the larger policy discussions regarding anti-poverty
Staff partnered with several consulting firms to measure the pilot program outcomes and document participant experience. The consulting team included; Abt Global (Abt), the pilot’s research partner, conducting surveys of the participants to measure the statistical significance of the program’s effectiveness, Maven Collaborative (Maven) held narrative workshops with the RUA Advisory Board to develop a narrative change campaign, and Wild Seed Consulting & Productions LLC (Wild Seed) filmed, photographed and conducted in depth interviews with eight RUA participants who shared personal stories about their experience in RUA.
This report is a complete study of the program and concludes the research and narrative storytelling work. The exhibits below include Abt’s 24-month, final program study of RUA (Exhibit 1 - Rise Up Alameda Guaranteed Income Study: Two-Year Insights) and Wild Seed’s final report (Exhibit 2 - Rise Up Alameda Narrative Archive Final Report).
Analyzing data from the two years of the program, Abt’s final report found that RUA participants fared better than people in the control group across several key evaluation markers. The evaluation found consistent improvements in participants’ financial wellbeing, mental wellbeing, and employment flexibility. Specifically, participants increased their savings, were less likely to take on debt, reported lower levels of psychological distress and perceived stress, were less likely to use certain public benefit programs, and pursued more flexible working arrangements without a detectable reduction in overall work participation.
In March of 2026, Maven held three workshops with staff and the RUA Advisory Board to develop a narrative change campaign which informed subsequent interviews conducted by Wild Seed. Wild Seed’s moving participant interviews complement and contextualize Abt’s research findings. Across participant interviews, several themes consistently emerged:
• Reduced financial burden: Participants described guaranteed income support as a meaningful reduction in day-to-day pressure and financial stress.
• Dignity and stability: Many participants described experiences of dignity, reduced survival stress, more choice, and the ability to make decisions aligned with their long-term well-being, rather than immediate urgency and an ability to provide for their families.
• Savings and debt reduction: Participants shared that the support helped them build savings, catch up on bills, and/or pay down debt-changes that can have lasting impacts.
The participant profiles, photographs, interviews and a short film are featured on the RUA website, riseupalameda.org <https://gbc-word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/riseupalameda.org>, and are detailed in the attached report (Exhibit 2 - Rise Up Alameda Narrative Archive Final Report).
BACKGROUND
On May 17, 2022, Council approved a $4.6 million allocation of ARPA funds to develop RUA, with $3.6 million in direct cash payments to program participants, and the remaining funds to cover program administration, research and participant profiles. GI pilot programs are distinct from other financial assistance programs in that they are unconditional, without a work requirement or any other conditions and unrestricted, empowering recipients to make their own decisions on spending the money in a way that best meets their basic needs, allowing for dignity and self-determination. The defined period of time associated with a pilot program allows valuable data to be collected, which may help inform larger policy and program interventions designed to alleviate poverty. Additionally, academic research has indicated that GI programs increase expenditure on education and training, improve food security, and improve measures of well-being among the recipients.
Research Component
Abt served as the program research partner responsible for the quantitative analysis of the program’s contribution to the financial stability of the recipients. They also determined the methodology for the selection of the program participants and measured the statistical significance of the program’s effectiveness.
Abt’s Selection and Survey Methodology
On September 8, 2023, the City of Alameda opened an online application for residents interested in RUA and 2,368 eligible residents applied. To be eligible, applicants were required to be at least 18 years of age, reside within Alameda, and have an annual household income no greater than 50 percent of the County’s AMI based on household size (e.g., $51,800 for a family of one, based on 2023 AMI). From the applicant pool that passed the initial screening, Abt randomly selected 150 applicants to ultimately receive GI and be part of the study’s research sample.
At the time of their application, on average, RUA participants reported a household income of $31,836, significantly lower than 50 percent of AMI. Additionally, about half (49%) of the participants were between the ages of 25 and 50, and about one quarter (26%) were age 62 or older. RUA’s participant population trended toward older with an average participant age of 49 years. A majority of participants (64%) reported using public benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or housing assistance. RUA participants received $1,000 per month over a two-year period. The first payments were disbursed on or before December 15, 2023, and final payments were disbursed on or before November 15, 2025.
Abt conducted follow-up surveys of the participants at the midpoint of the program (12-months) and conclusion (24-months). Abt’s approach was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), which compares outcomes between RUA participants (the program group) versus similar Alameda residents who were not offered the monthly payments (the control group). The control group met the eligibility requirements to participate in the pilot but were ultimately not randomly selected to participate - they did not receive GI payments.
Abt used a standardized survey instrument developed by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR). Using this nationally recognized research tool enabled Abt to compare its final RUA two-year data and outcomes to other GI pilot programs, while also contributing to a larger body of work. Abt’s methodology and protocols were rigorously vetted and approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). Below are summarized some of the major findings in the program study. Staff presented these findings to the RUA Advisory Board as well as the Social Service Human Relations Board.
Narrative Storytelling Component
GI programs provide temporary relief for low-income households and present an opportunity for narrative change. Narratives are cultural understandings or frames of reference that shape policy and culture. For example, poverty is often viewed as a moral failing of individuals rather than a result of systemic failings.
Maven, an Oakland-based social and economic justice consultant, has served as a leading voice in narrative change, especially within GI programs (Exhibit 3 - Why All Guaranteed Income is Narrative Work). In March of 2026, Maven held three workshops with staff and the RUA Advisory Board which included leadership from the Alameda Food Bank, Alameda Point Collaborative, Social Service Human Relations Board, and the Alameda Housing Authority. The Advisory Board determined that the following list highlights the predominant narratives and misconceptions about poverty in Alameda:
• Oakland is exporting crime to Alameda.
• The status quo is just fine because we don't really have poverty on the island.
• Poverty is only concentrated in the West End where a disproportionate number of Black people and immigrants live. And it is their fault that they are experiencing poverty.
• Long-term generational Alamedans don’t experience poverty
Of note, the narratives listed above are not beliefs held by the RUA Advisory Board, rather they are long-standing narratives and misconceptions about poverty and crime in Alameda. To shift these narratives, the RUA Advisory Board brainstormed a list of several questions for RUA participants:
• What is your experience in accessing support in Alameda?
• How long have you/your family lived in Alameda?
• What do you like about living in Alameda?
• How, if at all, did the pilot help you feel a greater sense of dignity and affect your ability to shape your own circumstances?
• Where did you like to shop in Alameda using your GI payment?
• How are you involved in your community (such as volunteering, supporting youth activities, mutual aid, community organizations, faith communities, etc.)?
• How did participating in the pilot affect your day-to-day life and overall well-being?
Maven’s narrative change campaign was used to inform the RUA Narrative Storytelling work.
On March 5, 2026, Wild Seed was selected to conduct a narrative anthology documenting the experiences of RUA program participants through film, photography and in-depth interviews. The final deliverables include a short film, participant profiles, participant portraits, a final report (Exhibit 2 - Rise Up Alameda Narrative Archive Final Report) and a website, riseupalameda.org.
In January 2026, while conducting survey responses for the 24-month study, Abt identified 20 participants that expressed interest in participating in the Narrative Storytelling project. Of the initial 20, eight agreed to be interviewed. Of the eight participants, five are women, three are men, with an average age of 55.75. The subgroup demographics closely mirror the 150 RUA participant characteristics which was 66% Female with an average age of 49 years old. All subgroup participants currently live in Alameda except for one participant who currently resides in Southern California.
In June and July 2026, Wild Seed conducted in-person interviews with RUA participants. Many participants welcomed the team into their homes and shared personal stories about their lives, their time in Alameda as well as their experience in the RUA program. These moving stories are available on the RUA website, riseupalameda.org.
DISCUSSION
Research Findings
Analyzing data from the two years of the program, Abt’s final research report found consistent improvements in participants’ financial well-being, mental well-being, and employment flexibility. The intent of Abt’s research was to gather statistically significant findings and control this analysis to form credible research results.
After two years of RUA, participants:
• Increased their savings
• Were less likely to take on debt
• Reported lower levels of psychological distress and perceived stress
• Were less likely to use certain public benefit programs
• Pursued more flexible working arrangements with no detectable reductions in overall work participation.
Below are summarized some of the major findings in Abt’s study, which compared outcomes between RUA participants (the program group) versus similar Alameda residents who were not offered the monthly payments (the control group).
• Financial Stability - After two years, participants demonstrated stronger financial well-being than members of the control group.
o Participants were more likely to build savings, with 35% reporting more than $500 in savings at 24 months compared with 12% of the control group.
o Participants were less likely to report going into debt during the study period. At 24 months, 16% of participants reported going into debt, compared with 27% of the control group.
o Participants were also less likely to report using certain public benefit programs, including SSI, SNAP, WIC, and SSDI.
• Mental Health - The evaluation found consistent improvements in participants' mental wellbeing.
o Participants reported lower levels of psychological distress than members of the control group at both the 12- and 24-month follow-up surveys.
o Participants also reported lower perceived stress during the program, with statistically significant reductions observed across multiple survey waves.
o Taken together, the evaluation found a consistent pattern indicating reduced stress and improved mental well-being among participants
• Flexible Working Arrangements - The evaluation found no detectable reduction in overall work participation or hours worked among participants.
o Participants and control group members reported similar levels of overall work involvement and similar average hours worked per week.
o Participants were less likely to report working full time and more likely to report working part time, suggesting that some participants used the additional income to pursue more flexible working arrangements.
• Mixed Findings - The evaluation also identified outcomes where impacts were limited or mixed.
o Findings related to community engagement were mixed. There were positive impacts observed after one year, however, this impact was not clearly evident after two years.
o The study found no consistent impacts on housing or food security over the two-year evaluation period.
Beyond the Data
Wild Seed’s moving participant interviews complement and contextualize Abt’s research findings. Across participant interviews, several themes consistently emerged:
• Reduced financial burden: Participants described guaranteed income support as a meaningful reduction in day-to-day pressure and financial stress.
• Dignity and stability: Many participants described experiences of dignity, reduced survival stress, more choice, and the ability to make decisions aligned with their long-term well-being, rather than immediate urgency and an ability to provide for their families.
• Savings and debt reduction: Participants shared that the support helped them build savings, catch up on bills, and/or pay down debt-changes that can have lasting impacts.
Below are a sample of personal accounts that support the statistically significant outcomes of the RUA program.
“It also helped me pay off some of my credit cards. So that was a relief. I was really happy about that. I was able to put some in savings, although medical took a lot of that out. But it changed me because…I didn't have to worry so much like I used to.”
- Dolores, a retired, lifelong Alameda resident
“This program has benefited me greatly, got me things that I never thought I would have, like new tires, a new mattress, you know, things like that, more dignity, as you would say.
- Julia, lifelong Alameda resident
“And then once I got, selected for Rise Up, it was like Godsend, ‘cause I needed, the extra income to help me get into my apartment at the time…”
- Tyronne, Navy Veteran, lifelong Bay Area resident, 10 years in Alameda
Hearing first-hand accounts directly from RUA program participants has the power to shift narratives about poverty in Alameda and beyond. The interviews dispelled many of the dominant narratives about poverty in Alameda identified by the Advisory Board. For example, there were a mix of lifelong and longtime Alameda residents experiencing poverty, living across the island, not just in the West End. Further, the very fact that RUA exists dispels the belief that poverty is not an issue in Alameda. The personal profiles further underscore that major life events such as losing housing or health issues can quickly lead to living below the poverty line, especially for Alameda and the surrounding Bay Area where the cost of living is high - it doesn’t take much for financial futures to change instantly. The research report findings coupled with the participant interviews illustrate that RUA helped participants create stability for themselves and their families.
Staff express their gratitude to all RUA participants, especially the eight RUA participants who graciously shared their personal stories and experiences with the RUA program which are available on the Rise Up Alameda website, riseupalameda.org.
RECOMMENDATION
This item is for discussion purposes only. No action is needed.
Respectfully submitted,
Abigail Thorne-Lyman, Base Reuse and Economic Development Director
By,
Jackie Keliiaa, Development Manager
Exhibits:
1. Rise Up Alameda Guaranteed Income Study: Two-Year Insights
2. Rise Up Alameda Narrative Archive Final Report
3. Why All Guaranteed Income is Narrative Work
4. Rise Up Alameda 24-Month Report Presentation