Monthly payments of $528 started going out to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in January, and the next round of payments will be sent in 16 days.

The Guaranteed Income to Grow Ann Arbor, a two-year guaranteed income pilot program led by the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions team, selected 100 participants randomly from an applicant pool of small-business owners and entrepreneurs who demonstrated financial needs. The program has been allocated $1.6 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds.

Ending in 2025, payments will be sent out on the 15th of each month, depending on when weekends or holidays fall, Kristin Seefeldt, the associate director of Poverty Solutions, confirmed to the Washington Examiner this week. The next payment will be sent out on Feb. 15.

“This guaranteed income pilot is about celebrating residents who do much to strengthen our community but are still struggling to make ends meet,” Seefeldt said in last year.

When applying, applicants had to have met a number of requirements. Those who qualified had to be residents of Ann Arbor and at least 18 years of age. Applicants must have an income at or below 225% of the federal poverty line. Those who receive or could be eligible for federal assistance, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Pell Grants, likely qualified.

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The grant was open to those who identified as an “entrepreneur, owner of a formal or informal small business, independent contractor, provide paid services informally, or a gig worker” in various industries.

“Unlike food stamps, where you can only use the money to buy food, with guaranteed income, the recipient can direct payments however they want,” Seefeldt, who is also an associate professor of social work and public policy at the University of Michigan, told E-Current magazine. “You could pay bills, save, or buy birthday presents. It’s supposed to reflect a sense of providing people with dignity and acknowledging their decision making is valid.”