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

Program Features
Number of Participants	130 individuals
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.

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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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Download Cambridge, MA's Evaluation Report

Read a research report produced by the Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) which offers summaries of key findings, along with in-depth analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data from this pilot.

download the report

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.