Ohio is rolling out two new pilot programs aimed at giving residents a financial boost. These programs provide extra cash directly to local families, helping them build stability without the usual restrictions on how the money is spent. As rising costs continue to affect many households, these income programs offer much-needed support.
What Are These Income Programs?
Launched in 2025, the pilot programs in Columbus and Franklin County aim to help families by offering financial support that comes with no strings attached. These initiatives target local residents and aim to create long-term economic stability, especially during times of financial uncertainty. Although the programs share a similar goal, they differ slightly in their structures and funding sources.
Ohio Mothers Trust: Helping Single Mothers
The Ohio Mothers Trust, announced in December 2024, focuses on supporting single mothers in Ohio. The program is designed to assist 32 single mothers, each of whom will receive $500 per month for a period of 12 months. Payments began in January 2025, and the program is set to run until the end of 2025.
Eligible participants must be members of Motherful, a local group of single mothers, and must earn less than 80% of the area’s median income. Additionally, they need to complete an application to join the program. The Ohio Mothers Trust is funded by the RISE Together Innovation Institute and UpTogether, with additional support from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and Motherful.
Motherful also encourages people who want to help support the work of the collective to donate at www.motherful.org.
Economic Mobility Accelerator Program: A Path to Career Growth
Another key initiative is the Economic Mobility Accelerator Program, announced in October 2024. This program, which welcomed its first round of 200 participants this spring, provides $500 per month to participants for 24 months. The payments began in March 2025 and will continue throughout the program’s duration.
Participants in this program must have an income that is above the federal poverty level but below the median income in central Ohio. To remain eligible for continued payments, participants are required to take part in and complete one of six programs. These programs focus on job training, career development, or wealth-building initiatives, helping participants create long-term financial security.
How These Programs Help Build Stability
Both the Ohio Mothers Trust and the Economic Mobility Accelerator Program reflect a growing trend of local guaranteed income programs aimed at helping people achieve financial stability. These programs are unique because they allow recipients to use the funds however they see fit, rather than imposing strict restrictions on how the money is spent. This flexibility makes it easier for families to cover essential expenses or invest in opportunities that could improve their long-term financial situation.
By providing this financial support, these programs aim to help local families get through tough times and build a foundation for a brighter future. Participants in both programs are seeing the benefits as payments start rolling in, offering a financial boost when it’s needed most.
