Dec 8, 2025
An idea once considered fringe economics is increasingly becoming mainstream: universal basic income. Cook County, home to the city of Chicago, doubled down on the idea in its latest municipal budget. (1)
On November 20, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously decided to extend its guaranteed income program for the 2026 fiscal year. The move unlocks a monthly cash flow for thousands of residents with no strings attached.
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The county joins a long list of governments across the world that are trying to move the idea of a guaranteed income from academic debates to real-world programs. Here’s a closer look at how the program is funded and who benefits from the payouts.
Funding UBI in Cook County
Cook County’s guaranteed income program isn’t new. It dates back to 2022, when the county received $42 million in federal pandemic relief funds. Part of these funds were used to finance a two-year pilot project to supply monthly payments of $500 to nearly 3,250 households. (2)
According to the county’s website, beneficiaries of this pilot project were primarily low- and middle-income families across the region.
In April 2025, the county surveyed the families and found that these monthly payments had a significant impact on their financial and emotional well-being. Roughly 70% of the families said the program had improved their mental health, 56% said it reduced stress and 75% said it made them feel more financially secure.
About 94% of the beneficiaries said they experienced a financial emergency during the pilot program and used the funds to tackle it.
“Getting those checks was like I jump-started adulthood. For the first time, I could budget, fix my car, and take a job that was a better fit for me at the time. I even threw a birthday party for my son without sacrificing anything,” Nikita Smith Jr., a participant in the pilot project, said in a press release published by the county. (3)
Finally, about 73% of the families that received these monthly checks said the program would impact their lives even after it ends. Fortunately, the county’s latest budget adds another $7.5 million to extend the program through fiscal year 2026. (4)
"Cook County’s guaranteed income pilot was a historic success, helping families afford the groceries, childcare and transportation they need to thrive,” Sarah Saheb, the director of the Economic Security Project, told FOX 32 Chicago. “We are thrilled to see President Preckwinkle make this program permanent and look forward to partnering on the work ahead to make sure even more families can benefit."
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Who benefits?
Although the county has laid out funding for the program, it hasn’t yet finalized the application process and eligibility criteria. A spokesperson told FOX 32 Chicago that the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development is expected to finalize the program’s design by mid- to late-2026.
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The county’s 2022 pilot attracted a staggering 230,000 applications for just 3,250 slots, suggesting that any expanded version in 2026 will likely draw a similarly outsized wave of interest from residents seeking financial stability.
And the interest in guaranteed income stretches far beyond Cook County. As of June, 2025, there are roughly 32 similar pilots across the U.S., according to a dashboard created by Stanford Basic Income Lab. (5) Some of these programs offer up to $1,000 a month in income support.
Early indications from some of the projects suggest that a guaranteed monthly income not only provides a financial floor for beneficiaries, but also opens up new opportunities to boost their income in other ways.
A pilot project in Stockton, California, found that guaranteed income boosted employment among beneficiaries as it gave them more time to apply for better jobs, while another experiment in New York boosted employment from 29% to 63% for those receiving monthly payments. (6)
As results stack up, policymakers who once dismissed UBI as unrealistic are taking a second look. Cities and counties are now testing direct cash transfers as a practical tool to counter economic volatility and uncertainty. The idea is steadily moving from the fringe toward the mainstream.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Cook County Government (1, 2, 3); FOX 32 Chicago (4); Guaranteed Income (5); The Chicago Council on Global Affairs (6)
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Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
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