Our Mission

The Denver Basic Income Project serves unhoused people by examining the impact of direct cash distributions in an effort to encourage a healthier society centered around human thriving.

Jump to:

The Denver Basic Income Project recognizes and is opposed to the systemic barriers to rising out of poverty and supports providing cash assistance to those most impacted and in need. In eliminating financial barriers, we create a path to equity and social justice for the unhoused. Our organization is committed to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in all aspects of our organization and mission.
The land on which we reside is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize there are more than 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado. We honor Elders past, present, and future, and those who have stewarded this land throughout generations. We embrace and benefit from the contemporary and dynamic role that the tribes maintain. Over 120 nations are represented in the Denver Metro Area today.
We also recognize that government, academic and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of Indigenous Peoples. Colorado was the site of the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, which killed 230 native people– mainly children, women, and the elderly. Denver was one of 9 federal relocation sites used by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the 1950s and 1960s in an effort to forcefully acculturate Indigenous communities and terminate the treaty obligations which the federal government held with their nations.
May this acknowledgment demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities and recognize and celebrate the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities in Denver.
Denver Basic Income Project seeks to encourage a healthier and just society centered around human thriving. We work together to foster a welcoming community where collaborators feel a strong sense of belonging and trust. Our approach and decision-making centers the input from those with lived experience, those on the frontlines, and those currently experiencing homelessness. Together, we try, we learn and we continue– bringing creativity and boldness; individually and collectively. We care about people and their self-determination and dignity, so we care about each other and being responsible and accountable to one another to carry out the vision of this work. We are the Denver Basic Income Project.

Our 2023 Impact Report is here!

Discover all the ways we made an impact last year with detailed research findings, housing and cost efficiency metrics, and firsthand accounts of how guaranteed income has uplifted individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

READ THE REPORT

92%

of program participants chose to participate in our randomized control trial voluntarily. This exceptionally high opt-in rate suggests that trusting participants to decide how to use their cash fosters reciprocal trust and positive engagement.

67%

of our participants identify as people of color, and nearly 50% identify as women, transgender, or nonbinary individuals. DBIP's participant pool mirrors Denver's homeless demographics and embodies our equity-centered approach.

LEARN MORE

Our Team

Founder & Executive Director
Mark Donovan is a Denver based entrepreneur and philanthropist. He received a B.A. in Economics from Harvard and is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School. In 1992 Mark co-founded Wooden Ships Knits, a Bali based women’s sweater brand. He studies, practices and teaches the principles of Lean (The Toyota Production System). In 2020 he founded the Denver Basic Income Project to advance the use of cash assistance to combat income inequality and injustice. Mark is the father of three boys, an avid skier and outdoorsman who also loves to play the piano and guitar. He is committed to fighting all forms of injustice and protecting our planet for future generations.

Community Engagement Manager
Maria Sierra is an experienced professional working with those experiencing homelessness and has over 25 years of experience working in nonprofit service organizations and low-income housing. Helping individuals overcome obstacles and difficulties and making the most of themselves is a gratifying yet challenging career. Maria has a thorough knowledge of housing and social service systems and a unique perspective and understanding of the struggle individuals and families often face with meeting their basic needs. What drives her is the desire for the people she works with to EXPERIENCE life truly and not just navigate through their struggles. Maria holds a B.A. in Chicano Studies/Human Services from the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Project Manager
Gwen Battis is an experienced communications and project management professional within social impact and public service spaces. She holds a B.A. in Communications & Media and Sociology from DePaul University and a M.A. in International and Intercultural Communication, along with a certificate in Global Business & Corporate Social Responsibility from the University of Denver. Driven by equity-based and participatory communication, Gwen comes to DBIP with extensive experience engaging traditionally disenfranchised communities through messaging, advocacy, and action. She is dedicated to giving a voice to Denver’s unhoused community and inspiring necessary systemic change.

Board of Directors

Virginia Ortiz

BOARD CHAIR
For more than 30 years, Virginia has developed, directed, and sustained non-profit and faith-based organizations. A graduate of the National Community Development Training Institute, she is skilled in the areas of executive level non-profit management, fund development, program development, affordable housing, and community economic development. She has held executive level positions with Bayaud Enterprises, Mile High Ministries, Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics, ACCESS Housing, The Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado Foundation for Families and Children, and NEWSED Community Development Corporation. Additionally, she has held mayoral and gubernatorial appointments on the Denver Zoning Board, Colorado Correctional Industries Board, and the Denver Neighborhood Health Program Board, and has served on numerous charter school and other non-profit Boards. Current board involvement includes Denver Basic Income Project, The Denver Foundation Community Impact Advisory Board, and Activate Work Solutions.
Andre Cunningham

BOARD VICE CHAIR
Andre Cunningham has been an employee with the Department of Veterans Affairs for the past 17 years and has committed his entire career to fostering a healthy partnership between employees and management so we can uphold Abraham Lincoln’s vision to maximize our potential to care for him, who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan. Andre currently serves as the Union President, working day in and day out, protecting the rights of VA employees daily. Andre is a massive proponent of realigning all VA employees with doing what they do for the check and not for the Vet and holding Union leaders to doing it for the mission and not the commission. This attitude which Andre upholds, makes him a fantastic proponent for the unhoused community, and this is spoken through his actions in which he hosted and donated all proceeds from his 35th birthday to the mission of DBIP. Through his dedication, Andre went from an advocate to holding his sacred role as the Co-Chair of the DBIP Executive Board.
Mark Donovan

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mark Donovan is a Denver based entrepreneur and philanthropist. He received a B.A. in Economics from Harvard and is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School. In 1992 Mark co-founded Wooden Ships Knits, a Bali based women’s sweater brand. He studies, practices and teaches the principles of Lean (The Toyota Production System). In 2020 he founded the Denver Basic Income Project to advance the use of cash assistance to combat income inequality and injustice. Mark is the father of three boys, an avid skier and outdoorsman who also loves to play the piano and guitar. He is committed to fighting all forms of injustice and protecting our planet for future generations.
Christina Alonzo

BOARD MEMBER
Christina Alonzo is the president and CEO of Red Tail Hawk Consulting. She has held various leadership positions in the nonprofit world as well as labor organizations here in Colorado. Christine’s career spans over 25 years working in labor as well as running non-profit organizations. She has served on several boards and commissions and has also consulted on various political campaigns. She is a Civil Rights Commissioner for the United States serving for the State of Colorado. She specializes in community policy, advocacy, and outreach. Christine most recently was a candidate for City Council in District 11 as well as a consultant for several non profit organizations advocating on behalf of refugee and Immigrant communities. She has 3 children and 3 grandchildren. In her free time she likes to spend time with her grandkids.
Jessica Bachus

BOARD MEMBER
I am the Founder and Executive Director of Kenzi’s Causes. Kenzi’s Causes became a nonprofit organization in 2009 after my daughter Kenzi was stillborn in 2007. I created this organization to honor Kenzi and to provide equality and equity to low-income children and their families in Colorado through our programs. Each year, Kenzi's Causes works to support more than 24,000 underprivileged children and their families in Colorado by providing toys, food, and more during the holiday season each December. School supplies with clothing where needed are provided to students during the academic year, and during the year assistance reaches the families through community outreach, financial planning, and professional support. I wanted to be a part of the Denver Basic Income Project because I strongly believe in Mark’s passion and vision, and I believe DBIP will help change the landscape of homelessness. Some of my favorite things to do are spend time with my family, travel, exercise and read.
Suzana Deng

BOARD MEMBER
Suzana Deng is the Disproportionately Affected Populations Liaison for the African American/Black Community at the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE). Her role is to connect African American/Black community-based and faith-based organizations across the state with available services and resources. She is also responsible for assisting community-based organizations, professional associations and other entities in their regions in accessing, developing and implementing COVID-19 and general healthcare/population health related equity goals, and ensuring that support and resources are provided across the state to comprehensively cover community needs.
Lucille Echohawk

BOARD MEMBER
Lucille Echohawk is a citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and resides in Arvada, Colorado. She has worked in the Indian child welfare, nonprofit and philanthropic fields for more than thirty years. She was employed for twelve years as a Strategic Advisor with Casey Family Programs, a national private operating foundation. She served as Executive Director of the Denver Indian Family Resource Center 2012-2014, and then again in that capacity as a volunteer from 2018 until 2020. Though formally retired she continues to be active in community, state and national endeavors.
Dawn Howard

BOARD MEMBER
After graduating from CSU, I worked briefly as a Registered Occupational Therapist and then earned a Master's in Library Science (MLS). I spent thirteen years working as a Librarian in Public Libraries in Broward (FL) and Denver. Nine years ago I joined the Staff of Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition where I currently focus on housing for people with disabilities. I love engaging people with disabilities to make systemic change. In my free time, I am a poet, enjoy live theater and music, and spend time with friends
Janet K. Rose

BOARD MEMBER
Janet K. Rose is a disabled, bisexual, Chicana, heart-centered leadership consultant and president of Rose Connections. Janet applies her experience as a former disability attorney, mediator and nonprofit manager toward supporting emerging leaders as they leverage their lived experience and resilience into community-led, trauma-informed solutions. Originally from Pueblo, Colo, Janet brings a passion for inclusion and systemic change from both her upbringing and her professional insight working with vulnerable communities. In working with SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach Access & Recovery), Janet’s successes as an advocate and a team leader informed the state's overhaul of the Aid to Needy Disabled (AND) program. She has served on boards such as the ACLU-CO, GLBT Bar Association, Denver Food Rescue and Shiny Garden. Currently she serves as the DEI chair for GoFarm Colorado.

Community Based Organizations

Untitled%2Bdesign%2B%2888%29+%281%29.jpg

Funders

Endorsements

"I am proud to endorse the Denver Basic Income Project and its vital role in our ongoing efforts to address homelessness and improve the lives of our residents. I look forward to our continued collaboration and the prospect of achieving even greater success in the second phase of this project."

Mayor Mike Johnston
"Basic income is one of the prongs in our approach to dealing with homelessness. DBIP participants have voiced that this cash was not just a stop-gap to decide next steps or hold them over. Instead, it gave them a strong foundation to build on and put their lives together. In my talks with past participants, I’ve heard the same refrain echoed time and again. One of gratitude, joy, and real relief. One that I believe is worth investing in and continuing."

Councilwoman Shontel Lewis, Denver City Council District 8
“It is so great to see basic income in action and helping real people. The Denver Basic Income Project will help inform and influence the rest of the country to follow their lead and take care of all their constituents.”

Andrew Yang, Former U.S. Presidential Candidate and co-chair of the Forward Party
“I believe all Coloradans should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their housing situation. The Denver Basic Income Project distributes funds to people who are unhoused, with the autonomy to decide how best to utilize those funds. In the midst of the ongoing housing crisis, I am encouraged and inspired by their efforts.”

Senator Julie Gonzales
“Guaranteeing a basic income for people is one of the most promising and innovative ways to assure economic security and freedom in Colorado and nationwide. DBIP provides compassionate and equitable support to those who are experiencing homelessness and The Colorado Trust is honored to be part of this transformative initiative that will pave the way for the rest of the country.”

Don Mares, President & CEO of The Colorado Trust