Last month, Fairfax County, Virginia announced a guaranteed income pilot program. Eligible households will be able to apply for the Fairfax County guaranteed income program starting September 23. Selected households will get $750 per month for 15 straight months.

Fairfax County Guaranteed Income Program: Who Will Get It?

Fairfax County’s guaranteed income program, called the Fairfax County Economic Mobility Pilot (FCEMP) program, will offer guaranteed income of $750 per month for 15 months to 180 randomly selected residents. Selected households will receive a total of $11,250 over the 15 months.

Fairfax County has set aside $2 million for the pilot program. Funding for the program comes partly from the American Recovery Plan Act and the Fairfax County Human Services Council’s Innovation Fund.

In addition to the money, recipients will also get financial coaching (optional), as well as an opportunity to grow their social networks through virtual or in-person events. Recipients will be free to use the money on anything they deem necessary.

To qualify for the Fairfax County guaranteed income program, an applicant must be a resident of Fairfax County. Moreover, they must live in one of the following Zip Codes: 22306, 22309, 20190, 20191, 22041, 20170, 22003, 22150, 20120 or 20151.

Applicants must be employed and have at least one child aged 16 or younger living in the household. The applicant’s income must fall between 150% and 250% of the 2023 Federal Poverty Level. Any change in the applicant’s income after being selected for the program won’t impact their enrollment in the FCEMP.

It must be noted that households with an individual receiving SSI won’t be eligible for the Fairfax County guaranteed income program due to “the impact of additional income on Supplemental Security Income (SSI).”

How To Apply

Those who believe they meet the eligibility requirements can apply for the program online starting September 23, while the deadline is Oct. 3, 2023. There is no option to submit a paper application.  Those who don’t have access to computers and Wi-Fi can visit their Fairfax County Public Library.

Applicants will get in-person assistance during the application period, or they can call 703-324-1050 to get more assistance. Applicants will need to provide relevant documents to verify their identity, address, household income, and the presence of at least one child 16 years old or younger in the household.

Recipients will be selected randomly, and selected applicants will be notified via phone, email, or SMS. Selected applicants will get the money via the payment method they choose on the application.

Money from the Fairfax County guaranteed income program may impact the recipients’ public benefits. Selected participants, however, will receive benefits counseling to help them determine the impact on benefit payments.

Once a selected participant chooses to receive money from the program, they must verify that they “understand the risk and impact participation will have on their benefits.” 

Visit the program’s webpage to get more information.

This article originally appeared on ValueWalk

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.