Cambridge Recurring Income for Success + Empowerment (RISE)
Cambridge RISE was launched in 2021 by Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui.
130
participants
$500
monthly payment
1.5 Years
duration
$1,170,000
invested in community
| Pilot Features | |
|---|---|
| Number of Participants | 130 individuals |
| Median Household Income | $18,968 per year |
| Amount | $500 |
| Frequency | monthly |
| Program Dates | September 2021-February 2023 |
| Eligibility | Single (unmarried) caregiver of at least one child under the age of 18, resident in Cambridge, with an income below 80% of the area median income. |
About Cambridge Recurring Income for Success + Empowerment (RISE)
Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui saw early in the pandemic the positive outcomes of providing financial assistance to residents through the Mayor’s COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund and began thinking of ways to address income inequity by organizing a longer strategy guaranteed income. Early 2023, the City of Cambridge will allocate $22 million of American Rescue Plan funding to build on the work of Cambridge RISE. This allocation will make Cambridge the only city in the country to provide cash assistance to all families in poverty, with children at or under 21 years of age, under 250% of the federal poverty level. Cambridge RISE aims to: 1) Advocate for financial stability and income equity of households in Cambridge; 2) Determine the impact on residents receiving $500 monthly payments compared to those who did not receive the funds; and 3) Contribute to the national conversation around guaranteed income as a solution to poverty. To learn more about Cambridge RISE, click on the city seal above.
Data last updated on 12/20/2022.
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COMMUNITY FEATURES
$44,797
$38,000
Median household income
21.2%
20%
Poverty rate
37.3%
31%
Housing burden
31.2%
40%
Childcare cost burden
8.5%
8%
Unemployment rate
STOCKTON
STATE MEDIAN
Demographic Data for Pilot Participants
Median Annual Household income
RISE
$18,968
Cambridge, MA
$109,358
Annual Household Income (Mean)
$19,509
Sample Size
130
Avg. Age of Respondent
42
Avg. Children in Household
2
Avg. Household Size
3
gendermarital statuschildren in household
Male
4.00%
Female
96.00%
Other
0.00%
Married
0.00%
Single
96.93%
Partnered/In-Relationship
3.07%
Yes
100.00%
No
0.00%
race
White
19.00%
African American
62.00%
American Indian/Alaska Native
2.00%
Asian
2.00%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.70%
Latino
0.00%
Other/Mixed
14.30%
ethnicityprimary language at home
Hispanic
19.00%
Non-Hispanic
81.00%
English
76.15%
Spanish
4.62%
Other
19.23%
Economic Context for Pilot Participants
The guaranteed income pilot launched during a period of dynamic change and economic challenges for pilot participants. The chart below situates this pilot in the context of unemployment and inflation.
Unemployment
Inflation
Pilot Timeline
