With over $100 trillion in household assets, the United States is the wealthiest nation on Earth. Yet, somehow, over 38 million Americans live below the poverty line. Poverty is a national crisis and a Universal Basic Income (UBI) is not only necessary, but long over-due.
There are many different applications of a Universal Basic Income. Generally, a UBI is a regular income paid to everyone without condition. UBI takes on many distinct forms based on the geopolitical context, funding mechanism, payment amount, and the frequency of payment. Below are several characteristics of a modern UBI:
The program consists of a recurring payment, and isn't a one-off grant.
UBI payments are made in cash. Recipients can spend them how they like.
With some exception, UBI payments are made to all members of a population.
There are no training or educational eligibility requirements for payment.
It is paid to each individual, not one per household or family-unit.
Payments are made to both employed and unemployed individuals, regardless.
Learn more about UBI and its implications for America
Read our FAQ sheetA Universal Basic Income will not only provide the opportunity for America to eliminate extreme poverty, a UBI will also unlock tremendous entrepreneurial talent capable of modernizing and improving all aspects of American society.
Dozens of countries, states, cities, and private organiations are already experiementing with different forms of a Universal Basic Income.
Each Alaskan citizen receives an annual check ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 from the Alaska Permanent Fund (APF); the APF has effectively wiped out extreme poverty.
Learn MoreRevenue from a casino on tribal land has been given to every tribal member, no strings attached since 1997. Each person gets on average somewhere between $4,000 and $6,000 per year.
Learn MoreStockton, California is in the midst of an 18-month experiment: It’s giving $500 per month to 125 people. The money comes from HNWIs and other philanthropic organizations.
Learn MoreDauphin, Canada is a saturation site where every family was eligible to participate in a basic income experiment. The basic income successfully improved residents’ physical and mental health.
Learn MoreBefore it was cancelled, Ontario's 2017 UBI experiement in the cities of Hamilton, Lindsay, and Thunder Bay showed tremendous promise by keeping people employed and healthy.
Learn MoreThe Basic Income Party, founded in late 2019, is South Korea’s first single-issue party, campaigning for a basic income of $500 per month for all citizens.
Learn MoreFrom 2008 to 2014, a Brazilian nonprofit called the ReCivitas Institute administered a basic income, funded by private donors, in the village of Quatinga Velho.
Learn MoreRoughly 52,000 people in the Brazilian city of Maricá received a basic income under a new program called the Renda Basica de Cidadania (Citizens’ Basic Income)
Learn MoreThe Finnish government decided to see what would happen if it chose 2,000 unemployed citizens at random and gave them a check of 560€ ($635) every month for two years.
Learn MoreDuring the COVID-19 Pandemic, 120 German citizens began receiving 1,200€ ($1,430) every month, and will continue receiving those monthly payments for the next three years.
Learn More“B-MINCOME” experiment provides a minimum guaranteed income to 1,000 households randomly selected from Barcelona’s poorest districts. Payments as high as 1,675€ ($1,968) monthly.
Learn MoreIn 2017, Utrecht began a basic income experiment with 250 recipients. Some recipients got the money (around $1,050 per month) unconditionally, while others had to do volunteer work.
Learn MoreTimeline of UBI experiments via
The Fund for Humanity
I am very interested in UBI... [T]he experience of this pandemic (COVID-19) and the impacts from dealing with it make he case for a UBI stronger than ever... I wish we could move ahead with something like [UBI] right now.
$3M to @MichaelDTubbs and @mayorsforagi for #guaranteedincome programs in cities across the country. This is one tool to close the wealth and income gap, level systemic race and gender inequalities, and create economic security for families. #UBI
We're working to bring together leading advocacy groups and premienent thought leaders in every state to form a nation-wide advocacy groups for the establishment of an UBI NOW.
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