The Family First Economic Support Pilot (FFESP) is a program designed to help parents and legal guardians with young children by giving them financial assistance. It’s part of a guaranteed income initiative, which aims to explore how a steady income affects the stability of low-income families. If you’re a caregiver, this program might help you improve your family’s financial well-being.
What Is the FFESP Program?
The FFESP provides $725 per month to families that meet the eligibility criteria. The goal of the program is to see what happens when families receive unconditional financial support for a full year. In addition to the monthly payment, families also get access to financial counseling and support groups to help improve their financial situation.
The program is administered by the United Way of the California Capital Region, with support from the Sacramento County Department of Children, Family, and Adult Services (DCFAS).
Eligibility for FFESP: Who Can Apply?
To apply for the FFESP, applicants must meet certain criteria:
- Residency Requirement: Applicants must live in specific ZIP codes in Sacramento County. These include 95815, 95821, 95823, 95825, 95828, and 95838.
- Caregiver Requirement: Applicants must be parents or legal guardians of at least one child between the ages of 0 and 5 who lives with them at least 50% of the time.
- Income Requirement: Household income must be below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL). The exact income limit depends on how many people are in the household. For example:
- 2-person household (1 adult, 1 child): $40,880 annually
- 3-person household (1 adult, 2 children): $51,640 annually
- 4-person household (2 adults, 2 children): $62,400 annually
These limits go up for larger households. Families who already receive benefits from other guaranteed income programs are not eligible to apply.
How Many Families Will Benefit from FFESP?
The program will support 200 families for 12 months. These families will receive $725 per month for a year. The selection process was random among all applicants who met the criteria. Transparency and fairness were priorities during the selection process.
Additional Support Services
Along with the financial payments, families in the FFESP program can also access:
- Personalized financial counseling
- Community organization connections
- Monthly webinars
- Peer support groups
These services are designed to help families manage their money better and improve their financial stability.
Can You Still Apply for FFESP?
Unfortunately, the application period for FFESP is closed at the moment. The 200 participants were chosen randomly from the pool of eligible applicants. If you didn’t get selected, you can stay updated on future rounds of applications by visiting the program’s official website at https://ffesp.org.
What’s Next for FFESP?
The program is still in its early stages, and its success will be evaluated once the 12-month period is over. If the results show that the program successfully helped families improve their living standards, it’s possible that it will be expanded with more funding in the future.