Evanston Guaranteed Income Program

Evanston Guaranteed Income Program is sponsored by City of Evanston, Illinois. This program provides guaranteed income to eligible residents of Evanston, Illinois. Eligibility is for households with a young child (second grade or under) or seniors aged 55 and older.

Guaranteed Income Program 2026 The Guaranteed Income program provides 102 qualifying Evanston families with $500 per month in unrestricted cash assistance for six months. It is designed to support low-income seniors and families with young children.

To qualify, applicants must be Evanston residents with a household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level and be a full-time guardian of a child in second grade or younger, or be 55 years or older. All eligible applicants will be entered into a lottery on June 1, 2026, and will be notified by the City if selected for participation.

Community members are invited to attend upcoming information sessions to learn more about the program and application process. Please bring a 2025 tax return to apply or an IRS transcript of proof that you do not file taxes: Tuesday, May 26, Library, 2 p. m.

to 4 p. m. Thursday, May 28, 909, 10 a.

m. to 2 p. m.

Saturday, May 30, Crown Room A, 2 p. m. to 4 p.

m. Both sessions will provide eligible residents with the opportunity to apply and receive guidance on the process. Additional information sessions will be added as they become available.

Continue to check back frequently throughout the month. For assistance obtaining a transcript from the IRS, call 800-908-9946 or visit irs. gov .

Can’t make an information session? Call 311 (847-448-4311) to schedule an appointment to determine eligibility and register for the program. Eligible applicants must be Evanston residents with a household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level and be a full-time guardian of a child in second grade or younger, OR be 55 years or older.

Qualifying Household Income (185% Federal Poverty Level) Please email gi@cityofevanston. org with any questions. Visit cityofevanston.

org/events to view the City's events/meeting calendar for additional drop-in events. Categories always sorted by seq (sub-categories sorted within each category) Documents sorted by SEQ in Ascending Order within category Guaranteed Income Information Flyer Guaranteed Income Information Slides Guaranteed Income Information Slides What documentation do I need to apply? You need a photo ID and your 2025 tax return.

I can’t make it to the info sessions on May 7 or May 9. How do I apply? Rest assured, there will be many other opportunities throughout the month to apply.

Please check back often at our webpage to find a time that works with your schedule. After I apply, when will I know if I have received a spot in the program? After all applications are accepted by the end of May, we will have a lottery to select 102 households to participate.

All applicants will be informed by email in June about whether or not they have been selected to participate. What is the age cut-off for senior applicants? Senior applicants must have a birthdate of May 1, 1971, or earlier.

What is the age cut-off for parent/child applicants Parent/child applicants must have at least one child with a birthdate of September 1, 2018, or later. I or someone in my household participated in a previous round of Guaranteed Income in Evanston. Am I eligible to apply again?

No. Households that have already participated in a previous round of Guaranteed Income with the City of Evanston are not eligible to apply for this round. Multiple people in my household qualify. Can we all apply to participate?

No. Only one application per household will be accepted. I don’t file taxes because my income is so low. Can I still apply?

If you are a parent/ child applicant, your 2025 tax return is the only acceptable proof of eligibility. If you are applying as a senior and do not file taxes due to a low income, you can provide a 2025 SNAP or Medicaid Eligibility letter. In addition to this, you will need to show proof that you do not file taxes with an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter.

You can obtain this in one of three ways: Online through the IRS “ Get Transcript ” system By submitting IRS Form 4506-T By calling the IRS transcript line Can I apply online or pick up an application to submit later? No, there is no online application. All applications must be submitted in person.

How will the lottery work? All eligible applicants will be entered into a lottery and assigned a computer-generated randomized number. A City employee unrelated to the program will create a second computer-generated randomized number list.

Those numbers will be matched up to determine which applicants will be selected to participate. My income varies from year to year. What if I made more than the income cutoff in 2025, but I’m currently unemployed/ making less money?

Income eligibility will be determined by 2025 tax returns, or if a senior is too low-income to file taxes, we can accept a 2025 SNAP or Medicaid Eligibility letter, with a Verification of Non-Filing Letter. No other documentation will be accepted. What line of my tax forms will you be looking at?

Line 11, Adjusted Gross Income I have a child aged second grade or younger, but I did not claim them as a dependent. Am I eligible to apply? No, if you do not have an age-qualifying child listed as a dependent on your 2025 tax return, you are not eligible to apply.