Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for Older Californians

Following a competitive Request for Application (RFA) Process, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) awarded grant funding to one organization: Notice of Intent to Award Guaranteed Income for Older Adults.

Overview

Per the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget agreed to by California’s Governor and the Legislature, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will oversee a guaranteed income (GI) pilot program serving adults 60 years of age or older residing in California and either eligible for or receiving a means-tested benefit. This pilot program is currently in the early planning stage. Please check back here for updates or join the listserv below.

Community Partner Engagement

Prior to the awarding of grant funds, the CDSS will engage in a series of listening sessions to benefit from feedback from community partners on the solicitation and evaluation.

• Guaranteed Income for Older Californians Listening Session Slide Deck, Nov. 2024
• Guaranteed Income for Older Californians Listening Session Question and Answers, Nov. 2024
• Guaranteed Income for Older Californians Listening Session Video, Nov. 2024
• GI for Older Adults Tribal Listening Session Slide Deck, Jan. 2025
• GI for Older Adults Tribal Listening Session Question and Answers, Jan. 2025

Request For Application and Funding Requirements

The CDSS is now accepting applications to administer the GI Pilot Program for Older Adults. Interested organizations must respond to a competitive RFA no later than 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on Friday, April 18, 2025.

RFA respondents must provide all documents outlined in the RFA and complete all documents below to be considered for funding:

• Request for Applications (required responses begin on page 24), including all required documents listed on pages 25-26.
• Appendix 1: Proposed Funding Request Summary  (required responses begin on page 8)
• Appendix 2: Budget Template 

Interested organizations may also wish to review the sample grant agreement  or sample allocation letter  for a greater understanding of CDSS funding requirements.

RFA Timeline

• RFA questions accepted until March 12, 2025 and will be answered on or around March 28, 2025. 
• The RFA Overview Webinar will be at 10:00 AM PST on March 20, 2025.
• RFA responses due April 18, 2025, by 11:59 pm PST.
• Award announcements are expected on or around June 25, 2025.

RFA Webinar, March 20, 2025

• Guaranteed Income for Older Adults RFA Webinar Slide Deck
• Guaranteed Income for Older Adults RFA Webinar Recording
• Guaranteed Income for Older Adults RFA Q & A No. 1

Stay in Touch

For the latest information regarding the State's Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for Older Adults, please sign up for email updates via the CDSS Guaranteed Income for Older Adults Listserv. For questions regarding the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, please email our team at GIPilot.info@dss.ca.gov.