The Denver Basic Income Project is an independent Colorado nonprofit that gives direct, unconditional cash to people experiencing homelessness, having distributed $10.8 million to about 800 Denverites. It was founded with the founder's own private capital and is sustained largely by foundations and individual donors, though it also drew city and state money for part of its run.
None (fiat)
Mixed but majority private: seeded with about $500,000 of the founder's own Tesla investment gains, then funded by the Colorado Trust, the Piton Foundation, the Denver Foundation, Rose Community Foundation, Gary Community Ventures and individual donors, alongside past City of Denver appropriations and a Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant.
Independent Colorado 501(c)(3) (EIN 93-2317246) with participants serving on the board; leads the Cash for Coloradans Coalition and a Basic Income Solidarity Community.
Mark Donovan (founder and executive director)
Launched 2022. $10.8 million distributed to ~800 participants experiencing homelessness. The City of Denver contributed roughly $4-6 million over 2023-2024 but Mayor Mike Johnston's 2025 budget included no further city money; the project continues on private donations and a Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant, and is expanding participant-led work.
- MIXED FUNDING: this is a privately founded and philanthropically anchored nonprofit, but it accepted roughly $4-6M from the City of Denver in 2023-2024 and a Colorado state (DOLA) grant. City funding stopped from the 2025 budget, pushing it back toward private money.
- Evaluated by the Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Denver's Center for Housing and Homelessness Research; published data showing increased rates of participants moving into housing.
- Notable as one of the few unconditional cash programmes designed specifically around homelessness.