Design Your Program
A well-designed guaranteed income program starts with intentional decisions about who you serve, how much you provide, and for how long. Tailoring these decisions to the Persian-American community will maximize reach and impact.
Step 1 — Define Eligibility
Eligibility criteria should reflect the specific needs and vulnerabilities of your target population. Consider income thresholds (e.g., below 80% of Area Median Income), household size, zip codes or neighborhoods with high Persian-American density, and any targeted populations (single parents, seniors, recently arrived immigrants). Avoid criteria that create excessive documentation burdens, which can deter participation among those with complex immigration histories.
For immigration status: clearly define which statuses your program will serve. Many successful programs serve all community members regardless of status. If your program does include undocumented individuals, work with legal counsel to structure the program appropriately and communicate the distinction from government programs.
Step 2 — Set the Payment Amount
Payment amounts in U.S. pilot programs have ranged from $500 to $1,500 per month. For the Persian-American community, consider the local cost of living (e.g., Los Angeles and Northern Virginia have high housing costs), family size, and whether payments supplement or replace other income. Avoid amounts so high they create anxiety about public charge implications, though again, private GI payments are generally not public benefits.
Recommended Range
A payment of $750–$1,000/month for 12–24 months is a commonly tested range for pilot programs. This amount meaningfully impacts household stability without creating new systemic dependencies.
Step 3 — Determine Duration
Most guaranteed income pilot programs run for 12 to 24 months. Longer programs provide more sustained data on long-term impacts but require larger funding commitments. For the Persian-American community, a 24-month program is often recommended so that participants have enough time to stabilize, plan, and build savings — especially for families navigating immigration transitions or credential recognition processes that can take years.
Build a 'wind-down' plan from the start: notify participants 3–6 months before program end, connect them with long-term services, and conduct exit interviews in their preferred language.
Step 4 — Identify Target Groups
Within the broader Persian-American community, certain groups may benefit most from targeted outreach:
- Single mothers and female-headed households
- Elderly immigrants without U.S. Social Security eligibility
- Recent asylum seekers and refugees in the first two years of arrival
- Families with children under 5
- Adults with foreign credentials not yet recognized in the U.S.
- Young adults (18–24) without family financial support networks
Cultural Design Considerations
Frame the program in terms of opportunity and dignity, not charity. In outreach materials, use language that aligns with Persian cultural values: investing in family stability, building a foundation for the next generation, and honoring the hard work of immigrants. Avoid language that implies dependency or weakness.