Rural Income for Self Empowerment Guaranteed Minimum Income (RISE GMI)

The RISE Guaranteed Minimum Income program is an effort aimed at empowering residents in rural communities. Every person deserves a fair chance at opportunity, and no one should be left behind. 

RISE GMI program provides no strings attached cash payments to eligible county residents who are randomly selected to participate. No strings attached payments means you choose how to spend your own money.

With support from a generous grant from the Atwoods, we’re aiming to send cash to ~1,600 people across Mercer County, WV, Beaufort County, NC, and Warren County, MS through the Rural Income for Self Empowerment (RISE) program.

We are delivering up to $24,000 over the course of 16 months to families living in poverty. This means that every family will receive $1,500 per month for 16 months to spend on food, business, rent, or whatever they need most.

Kalynn, a participant in our Rx Kids program, received $1,500 in prenatal direct cash assistance, and will continue to receive $500 per month for her baby’s first six months.

“With my first Rx Kids payment, I got a bassinet and a changing table for the baby. I also just bought a stroller, a Boppy pillow, and a bunch of diapers. That’s a huge help, just awesome. I feel like I’ll be able to get things for when he’s older too, just to have them ready. I’ve even been looking at a crib I really want.”

Eastern Upper Peninsula, Michigan

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible for the RISE GMI program if you meet all of the following criteria:

You are a resident of one of the participating counties:

  • Mercer County, WV
  • Beaufort County, NC
  • Warren County, MS

You are 18 years or older

Your household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level

Click here for more household income limits.

Eligible residents are encouraged to apply for RISE GMI!

If you submit an application you may or may not be selected for payment.

Apply Here

📍 Mercer County, WV

EventDate
Application OpensOct 14
Application ClosesOct 31

📍 Beaufort County, NC

EventDate
Application OpensNov 3
Application ClosesNov 21

📍 Warren County, MS

EventDate
Application OpensDec 1
Application ClosesDec 19

Need help applying? Contact our Support Line at www.givedirectly.org/support or (855) 599-8574.

Check back for an updated calendar of application assistance events in your community.

To verify eligibility, you must submit documentation to verify your identity, residency and age with your application. Click here to view a list of documents accepted to verify your eligibility.

Eligible applicants will be randomly selected. See FAQ for more information.

How do you make long-term structural change that creates opportunity for everyone? It is an incredibly complex problem. But if we focus our efforts in a particular area, I believe we can change a lot of things in this country. Maybe not everything, but something foundational to the next part of our history as a country: how to move beyond individual generosity and toward systems that create security, dignity, and possibility for all.
Jeff Atwood


Jeff Atwood
Co-Founder of Stack Overflow and Discourse

Cash is proven to uplift families and communities

Hundreds of studies show that unconditional cash transfers can be life-changing across countries and contexts. 

  • Community-wide impacts: When delivered at the community level, we’ve seen cash benefit people who were not even direct recipients. 
  • Financial stability: After one year, women who received $850 per month were healthier, more financially secure, and more food secure.
  • Self-determination: Recipients of a $500 per month guaranteed minimum income reported higher levels of self-determination related to better job prospects and increased risk tolerance.
RISE GMI can help American families realize their dreams

The “American Dream” has become increasingly out of reach for much of the population, who haven’t realized the benefits of U.S. economic growth.

RISE GMI aims to remedy some of the financial stagnation felt by millions of American families in the rural U.S. We know that cash creates jobs, reduces debt, and promotes mobility; the challenge is getting it into the hands of those who need it most — and ensuring policymakers take notice.

Cash delivered through RISE GMI aims to revitalize communities left behind, we can drive local, state, and even national policy change — cementing cash as a critical tool in our social safety net.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which communities are participating in the RISE program?

These are the communities that will soon be enrolling eligible families:

  1. Mercer County, West Virginia
  2. Beaufort County, North Carolina
  3. Warren County, Mississippi

We will update the list as we lock in additional community locations.

Am I eligible for the RISE GMI program?

You are eligible for the RISE GMI program if you meet all of the criteria:

  1. You are a resident of a participating county.
  2. You are 18 years or older.
  3. You have a household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line FPL.
    • The income limit for a household of 1 is $31,300. The income limit for a household of 4 is $64,300. Click here to see the 200% FPL limit for other household sizes.

What do I need to apply?

You need to submit the application online at rise.aidkit.org/o/home. You can submit the application from a computer or mobile device (such as a phone or tablet). 

You must provide documents that show your identity, your residency, and your income.

Applying will be easier if you have the following documents/information ready: 

  • Identification documents 
  • Residency documents
  • Income documents 

Click here to review the full list of accepted documents.

Note: Applications with fraudulent documents will be automatically rejected.

How do I apply to receive funds?

You can apply at rise.aidkit.org/o/home.

If you are a resident of Mercer County, WV:

  • The application will be available from October 14, 2025 to October 31, 2025.

If you are a resident of Beaufort County, NC:

  • The application will be available from November 3, 2025 to November 21, 2025.

If you are a resident of Warren County, MS:

  • The application will be available from December 1, 2025 to December 19, 2025.

Any application submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

What happens after the application closes?

Upon completing your application, you will receive a link to your contact information to check the status of your application. We will reach out with more information about program selection about 6 weeks after the application deadline.

We have limited spots for this program. Once the application period has closed, your application and documents will be reviewed to verify eligibility. 

We may request additional information or documents from you to determine your eligibility for the RISE  Guaranteed Minimum Income program.

How much money will each family receive?

$24,000. We will be delivering $1,500 per month for 16 months.

How are applicants selected to participate?

GiveDirectly verifies applications for eligibility. Eligible applications are randomly selected for the program. We notify applicants if they are selected within 6 weeks of submitting the application.

When will selected applicants receive the money, and for how long?

There are limited spots for this program, that means that even if you apply, you are not guaranteed payment for this program. To receive payments from the RISE Guaranteed Minimum Income program, applicants need to:

  1. Be eligible
  2. Be randomly selected from the equal opportunity selection process, and 
  3. Once selected, successfully enroll in the program 

These randomly selected, eligible applicants who enroll will receive their first payment 7-12 weeks after the application closes.

  • If you are a resident of Mercer County selected for RISE GMI, your first payment will be issued on December 17, 2025.
  • If you are a resident of Beaufort County selected for RISE GMI, your first payment will be issued on January 21, 2026.
  • If you are a resident of Warren County selected for RISE GMI, your first payment will be issued on February 18, 2026.

The payment amount is expected to be $1,500, and payments will be distributed on a monthly basis for 16 months, which is up to $24,000 in total.

Can I still apply if I live with a friend or family member, am unhoused, or stay in a shelter within a participating community?

Yes, you can still apply to the program. Click here to review the full list of accepted documents, including documents accepted to verify residency if you are unhoused or live doubled up.

Please contact our Support Line at www.givedirectly.org/support or (855) 599-8574 if you have questions about completing an application.

 

What if I need help with my application?

Please contact our Support Line at www.givedirectly.org/support or (855) 599-8574 if you have questions about completing an application.

In-person application support will be provided by partner organizations in each community. Check back for a calendar of events and locations offering support.

If I’m selected, what impact will payments have on my benefits and taxes?

Submitting a RISE Guaranteed Minimum Income program application does not impact your existing public benefits. Submitting an application does not impact your eligibility for public benefits. 

If you are selected, GiveDirectly will offer one-on-one benefits counseling and other information. Benefits counseling is a meeting with a member of the GiveDirectly team. This meeting can help you understand how RISE Guaranteed Minimum Income payments might change your benefits. 

Benefits counseling is not legal or financial advice. It is a tool to help you make a decision about your program participation.

Contact the office that administers your benefits with other questions.

If I am selected, what can I use this money for?

You can use the money any way you see fit, except: 

  1. To buy or support anything that would harm the safety and security of your community
  2. For the promotion of and/or engagement in any criminal or illegal activities 
  3. To support any entities or individuals relating to terrorism

If you use the money in these ways, you will be removed from the program.

How will you study the RISE GMI program’s impact?

GiveDirectly is collaborating with OpenResearch, an independent research nonprofit, to partner with families and communities to better understand what helps build lasting stability and opportunity and how we can improve programs like this one. 

You’ll be invited to partner with us by sharing your experiences and insights through optional surveys, interviews, and conversations throughout the program. Local researchers will be working in your community to build relationships and ensure your perspectives are accurately reflected. 

Your participation will help answer important questions like:

  • What kinds of supports are most helpful (including cash), and what barriers get in the way?
  • What additional resources would make the biggest difference?
  • What unique strengths and challenges do rural communities face?

We’ll look at outcomes like health, financial stability, and overall well-being to understand what contributes to lasting security. Your privacy will be protected and no individual will be identified in any results. Findings will be shared to deepen public understanding and to inform future policies and investments so they better reflect the lived experiences, needs, and insights of residents.

What if I’d like to make a major gift?

We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at info@givedirectly.org.