$528 Guaranteed Monthly Checks Launch in Michigan: Who Will Get It?

Guaranteed payments of $528 per month will soon be available to eligible Michigan residents for two years. This guaranteed monthly check from Michigan is specifically for Ann Arbor residents. These payments are aimed at local entrepreneurs experiencing financial hardship.

Guaranteed Income for Ann Arbor Growth: What is it?

Michigan’s guaranteed income program, called Guaranteed Income for Ann Arbor Growth (GIG A2), is a two-year pilot program that provides monthly payments to struggling entrepreneurs. The program is administered by Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan.

In June 2023, the Ann Arbor City Council authorized the University of Michigan to administer and evaluate the pilot program. The program received $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding.

“This Guaranteed Income Pilot is about celebrating the residents who are doing so much to strengthen our communities but who are still struggling to make ends meet,” said Kristin Seefeldt, U-M associate professor and pilot principal investigator.

Michigan’s Guaranteed Income Program randomly selects 100 recipients from a pool of applicants. The beneficiary is free to spend the money as he or she wishes.

The program will also select an additional 100 participants who will not receive payment but will be required to complete the survey. Participants in both groups will receive $50 for each time they complete a survey about the Ann Arbor Guaranteed Income for Grow program.

There will be three surveys during the two-year program asking participants how they spend their money and other experiences such as health and well-being, food, housing and child care.

“Only with the best research available will we be able to make a compelling case to policymakers for expanding future-secure incomes,” the program website says.

Guaranteed monthly checks in Michigan: Who gets them?

To receive guaranteed monthly checks in Michigan, applicants must reside in Ann Arbor and be 18 years of age or older. Additionally, the applicant’s income must be at or below 225% of the federal poverty level.

Baseline income was defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development based on area median income in Ann Arbor. People who currently receive or are eligible to receive public assistance such as SNAP will likely be eligible for a certified check.

Applicants must also be entrepreneurs, self-employed, owners of formal or informal small businesses, gig workers, or people who have a side job, such as musicians, artists, independent contractors, and freelancers. We also look forward to supporting those who are preparing to start a business.

A beneficiary’s other public assistance benefits may be affected if he or she receives a guaranteed monthly check from the State of Michigan. However, the authorities will notify beneficiaries in advance of this information so that they can make the best decision.

Payments began this month after the program application deadline passed. Payments are made on the 15th of each month. Therefore, the next payment will be made on February 15th.

More information about Guaranteed Income for Ann Arbor to Grow can be found on the program website.