US City Launching $3,000,000 Guaranteed Income Program for Residents – Here’s Who Stands To Benefit

A major US city has allocated millions of dollars to a guaranteed income pilot program in the budget for the 2026 financial year.

The speaker of the New York City Council, Adrienne Adams, says the most populous US city is allocating $3 million to a guaranteed income program.

The program will “provide direct cash grants to expecting mothers and foster youth facing housing insecurity.”

Mayor Eric Adams hailed New York City Council’s $115.9 billion budget, which was agreed upon in late June, as the “Best Budget Ever.”

While information was scant on how the New York City guaranteed income program will be rolled out, how long it will run, how many participants will be selected and other key details, this is not the first time the Big Apple is allocating funds to such an initiative.

In the 2025 financial year, the New York City Council allocated $1.5 million to support a guaranteed income pilot program designed to assist “expectant mothers to improve maternal health and reduce child poverty.” This was the first time municipal funds had been used in a guaranteed income program. To run the program, the city partnered with The Bridge Project, a nonprofit focused on helping low-income expectant mothers.

A total of 161 pregnant women experiencing housing insecurity who were selected to participate in The Bridge Project initiative will receive regular income with no strings attached for the first three years of their children’s lives.

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