Frequently Asked Questions
The 2024 extension of the Long Beach Pledge supports 200 residents of the 90802, 90804, 90805, 90806, or 90810 zip codes with guaranteed income of $500 monthly for one year. A guaranteed income is a type of cash transfer program that provides continuous, unconditional cash payments. In other words, there are no rules around how to spend this money.
Part 1: Eligibility
Applicants must meet all the eligibility requirements to participate. Call the Long Beach Resource Line at (562) 570-4246 to find out about other available resources in Long Beach.
Who should apply?
You are eligible for the program if all of the following are true:
A) Nobody in your household is participating in another guaranteed income program
B) You are the primary caregiver of dependent children under 18 OR are currently expecting a child and will be the primary caregiver
C) You are a resident (you physically reside or live in) the 90802, 90804, 90805, 90806, or 90810 zip codes.
D) Your gross household income is below 100% of the 2024 federal poverty level for your household size.
How is the income threshold determined?
The threshold is based on the gross household income (income for everyone aged 15 + before taxes). The threshold depends on the size of your household/family unit. Sources of household income include:
Earned income: money you get from work you do, including salaries, wages, tips, bonuses, professional fees, or other amounts you get in exchange for physical or mental work.
Unearned income: anything else, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), short or long-term disability insurance; VA benefits; Workers’ Compensation; Unemployment insurance, child support, and income, dividends, or profits from a trust or investment. NOTE: CalWorks and CalFresh are not calculated as unearned income
Eligible zip codes in Long Beach.
Applicants without a residential address will be asked to provide a letter from a local nonprofit attesting to their residency. If you do not have a residential address, you may use an address for a shelter, library, or local organization whose services you use.
Calculating the income threshold
The application will calculate this for you, but if you want to know the threshold, use the chart below or this Federal Poverty Line Calculator. You are eligible if your household earns below the threshold.
Eg. I have a household size of 4 and the income threshold is $27,850. I am eligible if our household annual income is less than $27,850.
How do I know my household size?
Your household size is based on the number of adults and dependents you claim on your taxes or what you consider your family unit. Household members are people who live together and are financially responsible for each other.
Do I include myself? Yes
Do I include my partner? If you are married, yes. If you are not married, only include an unmarried domestic partner if you have a child together or you'll claim your partner as a tax dependent
Is this the same as family members? No, a household includes any person who you share financial responsibilities with. (e.g. A co-parent who lives in your home)
What if a member is pregnant? If you or a household member is pregnant, include the unborn child as a household member.
Part 2: About the application process
There are four parts to the application: Basic information, household information, benefits information, and document upload. The application will take ~20 minutes.
Can multiple people from one household submit applications?
No, only one applicant can apply per household.
What languages are available for the application?
English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Khmer. You can switch between languages by changing the language slider on the top right hand corner of the application page.
What devices can I use to complete the application?
Mobile phone, tablet, or laptop computer. Computers are available at all public libraries for use to fill out the application. Applicants without computer or smartphone access may visit a public computer lab at any open Long Beach Public Library location and can receive computer assistance from Library staff at the Family Learning Centers. Visit http://lbpl.org for hours.
When should I apply?
Applications are open January 10th, 2023 at 9:00am Pacific Time. No applications will be accepted after the applications close. The application is NOT a first come, first serve basis. There is no advantage to applying earlier rather than later. You must complete the application and upload all documents before the application closes on January 24th, 2023 at 11:59pm Pacific Time.
How long does the application take?
Approximately thirty minutes.
Should you be unable to complete the application all at one time, you will be able to return to the application. Once you provide your contact information, you will receive an email and text message with a link to continue your application. Click that link to continue the application.
What happens after the application?
How will I know if my application has been submitted successfully?
Once the application is submitted, applicants will receive an email and text message confirmation. If you do not receive this email, please check your spam.
Participants will then be randomly selected from the pool of eligible applicants.
How will I be notified of selection?
You will be contacted by the Long Beach Pledge team at the phone number and/or email address listed on your application. We anticipate 8 weeks of time between application and notification of selection, though that is subject to change.
Will the guaranteed income count as taxable income or impact my benefits?
The cash is provided as a charitable gift from the Fund for Guaranteed Income and should not be taxable. Charitable donations are not considered a public charge issue. F4GI is preparing a benefits screener that will help participants understand any potential impact on their existing benefits. For more information on benefits support, check out the Golden State Opportunity calculator or Benefits Kitchen.
Who can I contact for help?
To speak to live support, contact the Fund for Guaranteed Income Team
Email: apply@longbeachpledge.org
Applicants without computer or smartphone access may visit a public computer lab at any open Long Beach Public Library location and can receive computer assistance from Library staff at the Family Learning Centers. Check http://lbpl.org for hours. Technical assistance is available at:
Billie Jean King Main Library 1040 Park Ave, Long Beach, CA 90804 Hours vary - closed on Sunday and Monday
Michelle Obama Library 5870 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90805
Family Learning Center at Billy Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
Family Learning Center at Michelle Obama Library (5870 Atlantic Ave.) Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 to 7 p.m.; Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Family Learning Center at Burnett Neighborhood Library Tuesdays and Thursdays 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Workplace (4811 Airport Plaza Drive, Suite 120) Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Future LB (508 W Willow Street) Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What agencies will see the application?
Applications will be viewed by the Fund for Guaranteed Income (F4GI) and select City of Long Beach staff for purposes of application verification. A research team from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is conducting an assessment of the Guaranteed Income program for the City of Long Beach. For the purposes of their evaluation they will be provided with demographic data for applicants and contact information for eligible applicants.
How is my data being stored?
This program values the privacy of all our participants. All information provided to the portal will remain confidential and will be used for internal purposes only. We will not disclose or distribute any personal information about portal users to any third party, and we will not use the information for marketing purposes. Application data will be stored by F4GI and the City of Long Beach in secure systems in compliance with City's Record Retention Policy and may be reviewed by an auditor if selected for an audit.
The Fund for Guaranteed Income, the CSULB research team, and the City of Long Beach will comply with the requirements of all applicable privacy and data protection laws in the State of California. In complying with such laws, we will implement and maintain all appropriate security measures for the processing of personal data and will not knowingly or intentionally do anything, or permit anything to be done, which might lead to a breach of any privacy data protection laws.
Will my identity be protected?
You will never be asked to provide your social security number, ITIN, or verification of citizenship or legal resident status. You are encouraged to cover or cross out any personal information included on documents that is not relevant to the verification request.
Why am I getting the “you have already signed up” error message?
The application requires a unique email address for each person signing up. If you think there’s been a mistake, please contact F4GI at apply@longbeachpledge.org
Part 3: Uploading Documents
For your application to be verified, you must provide ONE document in each of the following categories.
1. Proof of residential address in 90802, 90804, 90805, 90806, or 90810 zip codes in Long Beach. F4GI is not accepting a PO Box address as eligible for the program.
2. Proof of household income. If there is more than one income earner in your household, you may need to provide multiple documents for proof of income.
How do I upload the documents?
Click “Upload document.” on the portal. If you are on a mobile phone, you can choose a file to upload or can take a picture of the document to upload. If you are on a computer, click “Browse”, then navigate to and select the file from your computer's storage to upload it.
Files can be up to 5MB (megabytes) in size uploaded on the web or with a smartphone. Uploading on the phone allows you to take a picture and submit it. Accepted files are: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .heic
Before uploading documents, make sure the following is true:
Does the name on the application match the name on the residency or household document?
Does the document include a date? This depends on each document below.
Does the address on the proof of residency document match the address in the application?
Is there more than one income earner in the household?
Is annual income reported higher than the threshold calculated on the table?
What documents will I need?
1) Proof of Residency Options
1A. Valid Driver’s License or ID with current address.
1B. Paystub from within three months of the application date that shows applicant’s name and address
1C. Proof of eligibility for any government OR nonprofit assistance at an organization in eligible zip codes from within the last six months
1D. Letter from a Long Beach nonprofit, including a shelter or food bank, that attests the applicant’s name and address in eligible zip codes within three months of the application date
1E. One utility bill from within three months of the application date that shows applicant’s name and address
1F. Current Rental/lease agreement with applicant’s name or affidavit from landlord or person on the rental agreement/lease
1G. Piece of mail from within three months that shows name, address, and date
2) Proof of Income Options
2A. 2022 Income Tax return
2B. For each income earner: Paystub from within three months of the application date that shows applicant’s name OR W-2 Wage and Tax Statement from employer
2C. Proof of eligibility for CalWORKS or Head Start from within the last six months
2D. Letter from a Long Beach nonprofit serving low-income individuals that has previously verified the applicants’ income within three months of the application date
2E. Self-attestation form. If you select this option, F4GI will follow up with you
Proof of residential address examples
1A - Valid driver's license or any gov’t ID that shows address.
1B - PayStub within three months from a household member that shows residential address
1C - Document confirming receipt of government assistance that shows an address from within six months.
Calfresh benefits portal (address not shown). **Only CalWorks and Head Start are acceptable proof of income
1E - Utility bill from the last three months that shows applicant name and address
1F - Current rental or lease agreement that shows address, lessor/lessee info, and signature page
1G - Piece of mail from within the last three months that shows the applicant’s name and residential address
Proof of income document examples
2A - 2022 Income tax return that states the applicant's name and household income
2B - For each income earner - One Paystub from last three months that shows applicant’s name and includes annual pay to date (usually marked as YTD) OR W-2: Wage and Tax Statement from employer (if this accurately reflects the current income).
NOTE: To calculate wages from the pay stub, we will use gross income: the larger amount before other deductions are removed. Make sure the document accurately reflects the current income.
NOTE: This letter may be used for both residency and income verifications if the nonprofit has verified both for the applicant. The letter does not need to be signed by the nonprofit director.
