Leaving prison can come with immediate expenses, from housing and transportation to food, phone service and other basic needs. Solid Ground Nebraska’s Second Chance Stipends pilot provides unrestricted monthly cash to selected people returning to the community after incarceration.
Participants selected to receive the stipend can get $9,250 over one year.
What the Program Offers
Participants in the stipend group receive:
- $1,000 in the first month
- $750 per month for the next 11 months
That’s $9,250 in total cash assistance over 12 months.
There are no restrictions on how participants spend the money. It can be used based on individual needs, including expenses such as housing, transportation, food or other essentials.
Payments are made monthly through a reloadable debit card. Community Financial Resources handles disbursements and works with Dash Solutions to hold and deposit the funds.
Who Qualifies
According to Solid Ground Nebraska’s eligibility criteria, applicants must:
- Be 18 years old or older
- Have been released from a Nebraska state prison facility between April 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026
People with a recent conviction for homicide or a felony sex offense are excluded from participation.
There is one important date discrepancy on Solid Ground Nebraska’s website. Its formal eligibility section gives a release window of April 1 through October 31, 2026, while another section says invitations are sent to people being released between April 1 and September 1, 2026.
Because the program currently publishes both dates, people released after September 1 should confirm their eligibility with the community partner handling their invitation rather than assuming the October 31 date guarantees eligibility.
How Selection Works
Second Chance Stipends is a research pilot, so qualifying doesn’t guarantee you’ll receive the $9,250 stipend.
The study includes:
- 200 people in the treatment group who receive the monthly cash stipend
- 250 people in the comparison group
People in the comparison group don’t receive the monthly stipend, but they receive $75 for each completed research survey.
The pilot is structured as a randomized controlled trial conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research. Researchers are studying outcomes including recidivism, earnings and economic stability.
How to Apply
Second Chance Stipends does not use a standard public application where anyone can sign up online.
Instead, community partners send invitations to eligible individuals around the time of their release. After an invited person applies, applications are randomly sorted to determine who is selected to participate in the study.
Solid Ground Nebraska currently gives conflicting information about the eligible release period: one section says April 1 through October 31, 2026, while another says invitations are sent to people being released through September 1, 2026.
If you were released after September 1, check with the community partner handling Second Chance Stipends to confirm whether you’re still eligible to receive an invitation.
What Happens if You’re Reincarcerated?
Becoming reincarcerated during the pilot doesn’t necessarily end the remaining payments.
Solid Ground Nebraska says a participant who becomes reincarcerated may designate a next of kin or another trusted person to receive payments on their behalf.
The organization also states that receiving a Second Chance Stipend does not affect a participant’s parole status.
Relief Recap
Second Chance Stipends is a Nebraska research pilot providing unrestricted cash to selected people returning to the community after incarceration.
Participants selected for the stipend group receive $1,000 in the first month and $750 per month for the following 11 months, for a total of $9,250 over one year. A separate comparison group receives $75 for each completed research survey instead of the monthly stipend.
Participation is invitation-based, and qualifying doesn’t guarantee selection. Solid Ground Nebraska also currently publishes conflicting information about whether the eligible release period ends September 1 or October 31, 2026, so people released after September 1 should confirm their eligibility directly with the participating community partner.
If you’re supporting someone through reentry and need additional resources, our hardship grants roundup is worth a look.
