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. The program will provide all Cambridge households with at least one child 21 years of younger, earning at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level with $500 per month for 18 months. This $22 million program to provide direct cash to low-income Cambridge households with children is the only city-wide cash assistance program of its kind in the country. Rise Up Cambridge is being funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and run in partnership with the Office of Mayor Siddiqui, Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, and the Cambridge Community Foundation.

With this program, Cambridge becomes the first city in the nation to introduce a non-lottery program to provide direct cash assistance to all eligible families. SNAP, TANF, SSI, and restricted-housing benefits will not be affected. The goal of Rise Up Cambridge is to equip families with economic mobility through direct cash assistance for families with children to allow them to meet their basic needs. Program eligibility is determined by the following ratios of family size to income:

• Family of two: $49,300
• Family of three: $62,150
• Family of four: $75,000
• Family of five: $87,850

“With Rise Up, we’re building off the tremendous positive impact we saw from the Cambridge RISE pilot, which showed us how far $500 a month goes toward establishing financial stability for families and creating better outcomes for our kids,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. “There is no better investment we can make as leaders than in our families.”

 “The American Rescue Plan Act has provided the City of Cambridge a unique opportunity to develop this $22 million program,” said City Manager Yi-An Huang. “There is a deep dignity to giving people the choice and power to decide what they need. For some people, it will be education. For others, it will be childcare or housing or food or a night out to relax and celebrate life. We all have unique needs and expect to be able to make choices. This program trusts families to make their own decisions and that is the right thing to do."

This program 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. In the past, similar efforts have been launched in cities such as Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, however, the Cambridge program is uniquely ambitious in the number of families supported and the scope. 

The registration period for Rise Up Cambridge will be open starting June 1, 2023, with initial payments beginning June 30. To learn more about Rise Up Cambridge and program eligibility, please visit www.cambridgema.gov/riseup.

About Rise Up Cambridge

The Rise Up Cambridge: Cash Payments for Families with Kids Program is the only city-wide cash assistance program of its kind in the country. This new program aims to equip families with economic mobility by providing 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. Participants are eligible to receive $500 per month for 18 months. Rise Up Cambridge is a City of Cambridge program in partnership with Mayor Siddiqui, Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, and the Cambridge Community Foundation.

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