American Dream Initiative (Guaranteed Minimum Income Rural Studies)

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

[American Dream Initiative] provides a framework to test and scale Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) in rural American communities, with cross-sector partnerships and open data collection to measure impacts on employment, education, health, and community engagement.

Target Customer

{"Rural American communities and counties","Local government officials (mayors, county commissioners, etc.)","Veterans-serving organizations","Community colleges and educational institutions","Nonprofit organizations and philanthropic funders","Policy researchers and advocates"}

Key Differentiator

A philanthropic-driven, community-focused GMI initiative that combines partnerships with GiveDirectly and OpenResearch, targeted rural pilots, long-term funding commitments, and open data collection to measure impact across employment, education, health, and civic engagement.

Implementation Timeline

Five-year initiative plan with initial targeted counties and ongoing data collection and expansion; includes reference to multi-year programs (e.g., two-year findings from similar demonstrations).

Pain Points

1Persistent economic insecurity and wealth concentration in the US (top 1% hold a large share of wealth while bottom segments hold a small share).
2Rising costs of housing, healthcare, and education outpacing inflation and wages.
3Limited access to opportunity and foundational support in rural areas, hindering ability to pursue the American Dream.

Key Features

1Rural GMI pilot program targeting specific counties with documented poverty challenges
2Partnerships with GiveDirectly and OpenResearch to design, implement, and study the initiative
3Measurement plan covering employment, entrepreneurship, education, health, and community engagement
4Regular participant interviews to understand experiences and outcomes
5Community integration through partnerships with veterans organizations, churches, civic groups, and community colleges

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Mayor
2County Official
3Community College Administrator
4Nonprofit Executive Director
5Policy Director
6Veterans Organization Leader

Client Results

1Demonstrated impact areas include financial stability, employment outcomes, and well-being in GMI contexts (as observed in related programs).

Competitive Advantages

1Evidence-informed, data-driven approach with open data and ongoing evaluation
2Strong cross-sector partnerships (philanthropy, research, and on-the-ground communities)
3Focus on rural communities to test scalable, low-bureaucracy interventions
4Public storytelling and civic engagement to build support for long-term policy changes
5Long-term commitment and substantial philanthropic funding

Key Benefits

1Improved economic security and potential for increased entrepreneurship

2Better access to fundamental needs (housing, healthcare, education) through reduced financial stress

3Strengthened community ties and democratic participation through shared opportunities

4Evidence-based guidance for policymakers and communities on GMI viability

5Replicable rural-focused model supported by data and partnerships

Case Studies & Success Stories

Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED)

Case #1

125 residents received $500 per month for two years; observed improvements in financial stability, increased full-time employment, and enhanced well-being.

OpenResearch UBI Study (2023)

Case #2

OpenResearch's 2023 UBI study indicated that when money is given to the poorest, recipients often share that money with others in desperate need.

Additional Product Information

Product Description

A philanthropic-driven campaign and program design to pilot and study Guaranteed Minimum Income in rural US counties, through partnerships with GiveDirectly and OpenResearch, with robust data collection on employment, education, health, and community engagement.

Target Market

Rural US counties, local governments, veterans organizations, community colleges, nonprofits, and policy researchers interested in economic security and opportunity.

Unique Value Proposition

Combines high-level philanthropic backing, rigorous, open-data evaluation, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to explore scalable GMI solutions in rural America, with a focus on long-term social and economic outcomes.

Technical Requirements

N/A

Pricing Model

Not a commercial product; funded by philanthropic donations and pledges (e.g., family commitment of $50 million mentioned); no consumer pricing disclosed