Community Prosperity Program

Project Description

The Harris County Community Prosperity Program (CPP) is a flexible financial stability initiative designed to support 1,850 families in Harris County. Developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted long-standing health and economic inequities, the program is funded by a $20.8 million investment from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The pandemic and economic fallout highlighted the financial challenges for low-income families, many of whom are just a paycheck away from losing their home or vehicle or being able to cover a financial emergency. More than 200,000 Harris County workers in the region (8.6% of the workforce) are considered “working poor,” with at least one job but an income level below the federal poverty line. With low-wage industries continuing to grow, there is a significant risk that the working poor population will increase, particularly among Hispanic and Black workers, contributing to income inequality in the region. The lack of jobs with a living wage, paired with an increase in the cost of living, has caused many households to struggle to make ends meet.

The Harris County Community Prosperity Program is designed to address economic inequality and provide financial security to residents through monthly $500 direct debit transfers. The program aims to enhance financial stability, promote self-sufficiency, increase employment opportunities, improve housing and financial stability, and support the physical and mental well-being of participants.

The program will serve two distinct cohorts. The first cohort includes residents who live within the top 10 high-poverty zip codes in Harris County. The second cohort includes priority populations under ACCESS, a coordinated and client-centered safety net service delivery model administered by Harris County Public Health.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the program monitors spending categories, ensuring funds are used to meet basic needs and contribute to the long-term prosperity of the community.

PRIMARY PARTNERSHIPS

SECONDARY PARTNERS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

GiveDirectly and Harris County Public Health (HCPH) are overseeing the outreach, marketing, and administration of the Community Prosperity Program, which targets low-income residents in Harris County, the third most populous county in the U.S. The program will provide $500 monthly payments to 1,850 households for 18 months.

In collaboration with HCPH’s Office of Communications, Education, and Engagement (OCEE), GiveDirectly partnered with community-based organizations (CBOs) in 10 identified ZIP codes to carry out community engagement during the application phase. OCEE also deployed Mobile Units with their Outreach and Community Engagement teams to assist with in-person application events from January 26, 2024, to February 2, 2024. To support outreach, 50,000 Uplift Harris flyers were distributed in 5 languages.

TARGET IMPACT

Primary metrics tracked for this program include:

Total number of applications submitted

Total number of eligible applications

Ratio of applicants by target area zip code

Total number of people enrolled from the Geographic cohort

Total number of people enrolled from the ACCESS cohort

Number of payments successfully disbursed per month

Dollar amount successfully disbursed per month

USE OF EVIDENCE & PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

This pilot includes a research and evaluation partner to assist with the randomization process for eligible households and to assess the impact of the program. Randomizing the selection process within targeted zip codes follows the model of other similar programs implemented across the country. This selection process creates an opportunity to evaluate if providing debit transfers to targeted populations within Harris County can reduce income volatility and improve employment and health outcomes for extremely low-income residents.

The Community Prosperity Program is an adapted model of the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED). The SEED program began in February 2019 and provided 125 randomly selected residents $500 monthly for 24 months. Fund recipients spent most of their income on necessities such as food, utilities, and transportation. Outcomes included reduced income fluctuation and increased employment. One year after the program began, 40% of participants had full-time employment compared to 28% prior to the pilot, and a 12% increase in employment versus only a 5% increase in the control group.