New grant to give some California residents up to $500 a month. Find out if you're eligible

Pomona residents will soon be able to apply to receive $500 a month for 18 months through a new pilot program that opens to applicants on Monday. 

As part of the Pomona Household Universal Grants Program, 600 applicants will be selected by lottery to receive the funds.

There will be two groups of recipients: One group of 250 applicants will get $500 per month, for 18 months, for a total of $9,000.

The other group of 350 randomly selected applicants will get $20 per month for 18 months.

Applicants must:

• Live in the city of Pomona at the time they apply and be 18 or older;
• Be the parent or legal guardian of a child under the age of four at the time of application;
• Fall under at least one of the following categories: experienced adverse effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic; have a home address located in a Qualified Census Tract; are currently receiving benefits such as Federal Pell Grants, Medicaid or MediCal, or the Children's Health Insurance Program; or have a household income at or below 65 percent of the Area Median Income.
• Agree to an informed consent form.

The project includes a research study by UCLA to determine the impacts of income-based grants. Funds can be spent however the recipients choose.