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Rise Up Cambridge

Rise Up Cambridge is a $22 million commitment from the City of Cambridge to provide assistance to families with kids using funds received by the City from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. It provides direct cash to low-income Cambridge households with children at or under 21 years of age, earning at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Rise Up Cambridge will enable these households to receive $500 per month for 18 months.

The only city-wide cash assistance program of its kind in the country, Rise Up Cambridge aims to address the growing economic divide and racial inequities in Cambridge, while maintaining our city’s diverse population and continuing to be a place where all families can thrive. Direct cash assistance is an effective anti-poverty strategy and empowers residents to decide how to best meet their financial needs and goals. Cambridge is utilizing this approach to positively impact some of our most vulnerable families as they strive for economic stability, access to education and opportunity, and improved health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This program is being run in partnership with the Office of Mayor Siddiqui, Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (CEOC), and the Cambridge Community Foundation.

Our Rise Up Cambridge team is available in person to answer your questions and help you fill out an application. Please find us at any of the times and locations listed here. No appointment is needed.

Location	Day of Week
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
CEOC 11 Inman St.	9am ‑ 5pm	9am ‑ 5pm	9am ‑ 7pm	9am ‑ 5pm	9am ‑ 12pm
Mayor's Office 795 Massachusetts Ave. City Hall, 2nd floor	8:30 am ‑ 8pm	8:30am ‑ 5pm	8:30am ‑ 5pm	8:30am ‑ 5pm	8:30am ‑ 12pm
Valente Library 826 Cambridge St.	2pm ‑ 6pm
Margaret Fuller House 71 Cherry St.		12pm ‑ 4pm
Fresh Pond Apartments 362 Rindge Ave. Community Room			4pm ‑ 7pm Starting 6/14	12pm ‑ 3pm Starting 6/8
O'Neil Library 70 Rindge Ave.						1pm ‑ 4pm

You are eligible if all of the following apply:

You are a Cambridge resident; AND
Your income falls below 250% of the Federal Poverty Line for your household size; AND
You have a child at or under 21 years old in your household; AND
You are 18 years or older.

NOTE: Eligible Households include:

Single parent families
Two parent families
Non-traditional families such as grandparents or relatives taking care of children

NOTE: If you or another adult in your household is attending full-time graduate school, pursuing a full-time professional degree (including but not limited to an MD, MBA, or JD), OR are a PhD candidate, you are not eligible for Rise Up Cambridge, even if you meet the other eligibility guidelines.

NOTE: There are no citizenship requirements.

250% of the Federal Poverty Line by Household Size

Household Size	Yearly Income	Monthly Income	Weekly Income
2	$49,300	$4,108	$948
3	$62,150	$5,179	$1,195
4	$75,000	$6,250	$1,442
5	$87,850	$7,321	$1,689
6	$100,700	$8,392	$1,937
7	$113,550	$9,463	$2,183
8	$126,400	$10,533	$2,431
Each additional	+$12,850	+$1,071	+$247

Rise Up Cambridge builds on the success of Cambridge RISE (Recurring Income for Success and Empowerment), a basic income pilot launched in 2021, that served 130 families led by single caregivers in Cambridge. The pilot showed how impactful cash assistance is for families in poverty, and how it can empower residents to decide how to best meet their financial needs and goals.

Funding: $22 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds the program.

Measuring the impact of Rise Up Cambridge: The Cambridge Community Foundation will work closely with the City to conduct a learning agenda where participants can complete voluntary surveys and/or document their stories and experiences during the Program. As a part of the Program, participants may be given the opportunity to help deepen the understanding of the value of cash benefits by participating in voluntary surveys, and/or documenting their stories and experiences as part of a learning agenda. Participating in surveys or other learning agenda activities is voluntary and not a requirement of the Program. However, it is expected that those participating in surveys or journaling will be compensated for their time.

Media inquiries: Contact Lee Gianetti, Director of Communications, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, lgianetti@cambridgema.gov, 617-349-3317.

News

Over 1,000 Applications Submitted on the First Day of the New $22 Million Rise Up Cambridge Program

Over 1,000 households submitted applications for the City's new cash assistance program, Rise Up Cambridge, within the first 24 hours following the launch of the application period on June 1. This response represents approximately 50% of eligible families in Cambridge, highlighting the strong demand and support for this program within the community.

Cambridge Launches New $22 Million Initiative to Combat Income Inequality and Family Poverty

The City of Cambridge announced that on June 1, 2023, it will begin accepting applications for a new initiative called Rise Up Cambridge, which aims to alleviate poverty among struggling families in the city by building financial security. Rise Up will provide approximately 2,000 eligible families with $500 per month for 18 months.

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Questions About Eligibility

Am I eligible for Rise Up Cambridge?

You are eligible if:

You are a Cambridge resident; AND
Your income falls below 250% of the Federal Poverty Line for your household size; AND
You have a child at or under 21 years old in your household; AND
You are 18 years or older.

You do not need to be a citizen to apply.

NOTE: If you or another adult in your household is:

Attending full-time graduate school, OR
Pursuing a full-time professional degree (including but not limited to an MD, MBA, or JD), OR
Are a PhD candidate, THEN

You are not eligible for Rise Up Cambridge, even if you meet the other eligibility guidelines.

How do you define a household?

A household includes you, your spouse or partner, and any other family members who depend on you to cover most of their expenses (for example: children under 21 years of age, students, or elderly, sick, or disabled family members).

The same children cannot be claimed in two separate applications. If both parents of a child are Cambridge residents, the child may only be claimed in the application of the parent who claims that child as a dependent on their federal income tax return for that year.
Roommates or tenants should not be counted as part of your household.
If you are sharing a home or apartment with another family, who is financially independent, you are considered separate households.

I am sharing an apartment with another family that is also applying. Can I apply? What documentation do I need to provide for proof of residency?

If you share a home or apartment with another family that is financially independent, you are separate households.

Each family can submit an application.
Each household must provide proof of address.

If I or someone in my household is undocumented, can I apply?

Yes, this program is open to all residents irrespective of their citizenship or legal immigration status. The application will not ask questions related to your legal status.

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, COVID-19 related benefits, including cash assistance, will not be used to determine whether or not an individual was or could become a public charge.

What qualifies as income? Do my public benefits count towards my household income?

Your household income includes all money you or other adults over 21 years old in the household receive from:

Wages
Jobs
Capital gains
Retirement accounts/pensions
Unemployment insurance
Disability insurance
Social Security

Your public benefits do not count toward your household income. Some examples of public benefits include:

the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Please attend an in-person session to receive help calculating your income if:

You do not have a regular income (weekly or monthly), or
You have self-employment income (for example, Uber or Lyft drivers).

My family is homeless and I do not have a permanent address. Can I apply? What documentation do I need?

Yes, you can apply. For documentation, you may need to work with CEOC staff to get a letter certifying that you are a Cambridge family.

If I or someone in my household is incarcerated, on probation, or on parole, can I apply?

Yes. If you or someone in your household is incarcerated, on probation or on parole, you can apply.

Questions About Application Process and Timeline

How will households be selected for participation?

Applications will be approved on a rolling basis. All households who meet the eligibility criteria and complete an application can participate in this program.

How and when can I apply?

Applications will be available online starting June 1, 2023. You can apply anytime between June 1, 2023 and July 31, 2023. Only one application is allowed per household. Applications will be approved on a rolling basis (as they are received).

Community outreach workers can help you fill out an application.

Does it matter which parent/household member applies?

Any eligible parent or adult household member can apply.
It does not matter which parent/adult household member applies. Payments will be sent to the parent/adult household member who applied.
Each household can only join the program once. Children can only be counted once.

What if I am divorced or share custody of my children?

If one parent or guardian lives in Cambridge, and the other does not, the benefit will go to the parent or guardian who lives in Cambridge. If both parents of a child are Cambridge residents, the child may only the parent with whom the child lives over half of the year can claim that child.

What is the timeline for applying and receiving payments?

Applications open — June 1, 2023, through July 31, 2023.

Selection — Participants will be approved on a rolling basis. All applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will be selected.

Benefits counseling — During your application process, we will identify if you need benefits counseling. CEOC staff can help you understand any possible loss of benefits.

Checking the status of my application — You will receive a link via email or text when you submit your application. You can check the status of you application at that link.

Confirmation — Once your application has been approved, you will receive a confirmation notification via text or email.

Benefit disbursement — Approved applicants will receive monthly payments of $500 for 18 months.

Ongoing support — If you need help or if you are not receiving payments, please contact our team at: (312) 757-7267 or support@riseupcambridge.aidkit.org.

Can I fill out an application for someone else?

Yes, if the applicant allows you to.

I helped someone apply, how can I check their status?

Once the applicant submits their application, they will receive a confirmation text or email to the phone or email address that is included in the application with a link to keep track of their application status.

Questions About Payments

If my application is accepted, how much money will I receive and for how long?

If selected, you will receive $500/month for up to 18 months. This is a total of up to $9,000.

Do I have to report this money as income on my taxes?

No, you do not need to report this money as taxable income. This money counts as "qualified disaster relief." See IRS guidance here.

What can I use this money for? What can I not use this money for?

Rise Up Cambridge will help families thrive and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. You can use the money for any household expenses, like food, rent, clothing, or utilities.

You cannot use the money for these activities:

To buy or support anything that would harm the safety and security of project recipients and/or other community members.
For fraud or corruption
For the promotion of any criminal activities

Do I have to report how I spend this money?

No, you do not have to report how you spend this money. However, each Program recipient will be required to certify that they understand that the funds are intended to address the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and may be used for the purchase of food, rent, clothing, utilities and other household expenses.

When will I receive payments?

Payments will be disbursed on the first of each month. If the first of the month is on a weekend, the payment will be disbursed the Friday before. If you choose direct deposit, your bank may take 1-2 business days to deposit the funds in your account. The date of your first payment will be listed in your confirmation notification when your application is approved.

Questions About Post Enrollment

What happens if I move or my housing situation changes?

If you move within the City of Cambridge, you should report it to CEOC at support@riseupcambridge.aidkit.org. This will not impact your eligibility. You will continue to receive cash assistance.

If you move out of the City of Cambridge, you should report it to CEOC at support@riseupcambridge.aidkit.org. You will no longer be eligible to receive cash assistance.

What happens if my income changes?

If your income changes after you join the program, you do not need to notify anyone. You will continue receiving cash assistance. Income eligibility is confirmed when you apply.

What happens if my household composition changes?

If your household composition changes after you join the program, you do not need to report it. You will continue receiving cash assistance. Household eligibility is confirmed when you apply.