NEST
NEST stands for “Navigating Economic Stability Together” and is a privately funded basic income pilot designed to increase economic stability for families in the Grinnell community. Participants receive $500 per month for 18 months with no restrictions on how they use the funds. NEST began in June of 2025 with 15 participants and will continue through November 2026. We look forward to sharing what we learn through NEST with the community once the pilot concludes.
The Purpose Of NEST
In 2024, people who live and work in Grinnell revealed the need to provide economic stability through increased wages and lower prices in the Build A Better Grinnell 2030 community visioning process.
NEST (Navigating Economic Stability Together) is a response to that desire and emerging research shows a reliable foundation of cash flow can help employed families afford basic necessities. This has a trickle effect to those around them – children are able to attend daycare, employers have consistent staffing, retailers have consistent shoppers and the local economy is healthier overall. While it may not be the only piece needed to solve the economic puzzle, NEST is the Grinnell Education Partnership’s collaborative approach to move one step closer to identifying solutions for community health and economic stability. NEST is meant to work alongside other benefits and support families so they can better make ends meet and reduce financial uncertainty. NEST is a 2 year research project to explore the impact of regular income support on Grinnell’s families, businesses, and community. What could you do, or plan for, if you had $500 extra each month? That is what NEST wants to find out!
How Does It Work?
Through contributions from locally based and private individuals and organizations, funding is available to supply 15 eligible, randomly selected families with a monthly cash gift. NEST will work with families, conduct research, and evaluate the impact. The hope is that these families will feel one step closer to financial stability.
Why Is This Needed?
Ongoing research from United Way has created the acronym ALICE to describe these working households in the United States who, despite being employed, do not earn enough to cover the costs of basic necessities in their area. In Grinnell, 44% of households have this experience (vs. 37% of households in Iowa). NEST is a way to respond to this mismatch and support hard-working community members with an extra $500 a month that can be counted on for a year and a half.
Eligibility
All participants in NEST met the following eligibility criteria:
Application Process
Additional Resources
CENTER FOR GUARANTEED INCOME RESEARCH UNITED FOR ALICE
