Income to Support All Foundation: Rethinking How We Share Prosperity

I want to talk about an organization that's doing something genuinely bold — not in the way that word usually gets thrown around in tech and finance, but in the way that actually requires courage: giving people money with no strings attached and then honestly documenting what happens.

The Income to Support All Foundation — ITSA — was founded by Scott Santens, who has spent years thinking about what happens when you give people a floor of economic security. Not a ceiling. Not a set of conditions they need to meet. Just a foundation they can stand on.

The Problem They're Solving

Here's the uncomfortable truth about economic life in America: most people, even those working full time, are one medical bill or job loss away from crisis. Traditional aid programs exist, but they're plagued by bureaucracy, means-testing, and restrictions that often prevent recipients from making choices that fit their actual needs. And there's stigma attached to receiving help — a divide between "givers" and "takers" that makes the whole system feel adversarial.

The result is a cycle where millions drift in and out of poverty, and philanthropy becomes an endless series of temporary patches. ITSA asks a different question: what if we stopped patching and started building real, lasting security?

Bootstraps: Showing, Not Telling

ITSA's signature project is Bootstraps — a multi-year docuseries that followed 11 diverse households across America as they received an unconditional basic income of $1,000 per adult and $333 per child, every month, for two and a half years. The series, directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Deia Schlosberg, provides an unfiltered look at what actually happens when people gain genuine economic stability.

The stories aren't dramatic in the way reality TV is dramatic. They're dramatic in the way real life is dramatic. Families facing housing insecurity could suddenly plan for the future. Health crises were met with confidence instead of panic. People started businesses, went back to school, and got involved in their communities — not because someone told them to, but because they finally had the breathing room to do it.

As ITSA co-founder Conrad Shaw put it: "It's very hard to teach financial planning to someone who has no money. As soon as someone actually experiences a reliable foundation of basic income, they often proactively explore that kind of education on their own."

That insight stuck with me. You can't plan when you're in survival mode. Remove the survival pressure, and planning happens naturally.

Comingle: Mutual Aid, Automated

ITSA's other major project is Comingle — a platform that enables people to pledge a small portion of their weekly income (up to 7%) into a shared pool. Those earning less than the group average receive a boost; those earning more contribute more. It's mutual aid made sustainable and ongoing rather than one-off and top-down.

What I find compelling about Comingle is the philosophy behind it. As the founders describe it: "UBI is ultimately about solidarity. Sometimes we will be the ones above the average, sometimes below, but together we'll all know that there is a level below which we won't allow any of us to fall."

There's dignity in a system where everyone participates and everyone benefits, depending on where they are at any given moment.

Growth and Credibility

ITSA started with $53,000 in their first year and grew to over $1.5 million in 2024 — enough to fully fund both Bootstraps and Comingle while sustaining monthly operations. Andrew Yang, who brought universal basic income into mainstream political conversation during his presidential campaign, has called ITSA "very small, scrappy, and pure, and they're genuine."

That description rings true to me. They're not a large institution. They're a focused team that punches well above their weight because they're clear about what they believe and disciplined about how they execute.

The Stakes

The expanded Child Tax Credit temporarily cut child poverty in the U.S. nearly in half. When the policy expired, poverty returned to previous levels. That single data point tells you everything you need to know about whether direct cash works. The question isn't whether it's effective — it's whether we have the will to sustain it.

ITSA is building both the evidence and the infrastructure to make the case. Not through lobbying or political campaigns, but through stories, data, and tools that anyone can use.

How to Get Involved

If this resonates with you, there are several ways to support ITSA's work:

• Donate at itsafoundation.org
• Join Comingle to participate in the mutual aid model directly
• Share Bootstraps when screening events happen in your area
• Subscribe to the ITSA Newsletter for updates

ITSA's founder has said that "philanthropy's mission should be to put itself out of a job." I don't hear that often enough in the nonprofit world. It's a sign of an organization that's thinking about root causes, not just symptoms.