Guaranteed Income Works: Data from fresno county
Advancing Fresno County Guaranteed Income program (AFCGI)
The Advancing Fresno County Guaranteed Income program (AFCGI) provided 150 residents in Fresno and Huron with $500 per month for 12 months. Funded by philanthropic foundations, the pilot was administered by the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission and evaluated by researchers at the Center for Community Voices (CCV) at Fresno State.
To qualify, residents had to live in one of two high-poverty zip codes, 93706 in southwest Fresno and 93234 in rural Huron, and have a household income at or below the median income of that zip code. CCV randomly selected 75 recipients from each zip code, and a control group was created by selecting an additional 75 applicants from each zip code who did not receive the cash. Payments to AFCGI recipients began in July 2024 and concluded in June 2025. Researchers at CCV conducted a mixed-methods research study and found improvement in financial stability, greater food security, reduced stress and more parent-child quality time.
Key Takeaways
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AFCGI recipients showed significant improvement in their ability to make ends meet, four months into the pilot, and by nine months they were significantly less likely to take on new debt in order to pay for regular expenses. Interviews show that recipients were better able to pay bills and catch up on past-due bills, especially utility bills, which have increased significantly across the state of California since 2020.
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Before payments began, AFCGI recipients demonstrated higher rates of food insecurity than the control group. At every point afterwards, recipients were less likely to report food insecurity, and interviews showed they were better able to afford food and keep their kitchens stocked. Rates of food insecurity for the control group remained largely unchanged for the duration of the program.
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AFCGI recipients reported feeling less stressed and the percentage who reported being bothered by worry “nearly every day” fell significantly at four months, compared to the control group.
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In interviews, AFCGI recipients reported being able to spend more quality time with their children, including being able to afford experiences like trips to the zoo or stopping for ice cream, and mothers who gave birth during the program reported being less stressed about returning to work and more able to prioritize caregiving for their infants.
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Throughout the program, AFCGI recipients were just as likely to be employed as the control group. Qualitative data shows participants pursuing opportunities for better employment, whether through additional training, better transportation, or time spent looking for new jobs.
Rising costs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have further exacerbated the problem of poverty in Fresno County. To afford the typical rent on a two-bedroom unit, a person earning California’s minimum wage has to work 1.7 full-time jobs. In the zip codes selected for the AFCGI pilot, the poverty rate is double the county average and the typical child lives below the poverty line. In the face of such financial stress, even one unexpected emergency can become a crisis. The AFCGI pilot is a model for the Central Valley, helping families meet their basic needs, reduce their debt, moderate stress levels and allow parents and children to spend more quality time together.