View in EDS

Insight from Rise Up Cambridge: Promoting Economic Stability through Cash Assistance

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Insight from Rise Up Cambridge: Promoting Economic Stability through Cash Assistance
Language: English
Authors: Mina Addo, Katerina Galkin, Crystal Ganges-Reid, Aleksandra Yusim, MDRC
Source: MDRC. 2026.
Availability: MDRC. 16 East 34th Street 19th Floor, New York, NY 10016-4326. Tel: 212-532-3200; Fax: 212-684-0832; e-mail: publications@mdrc.org; Web site: http://www.mdrc.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 108
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Research
Descriptors: Poverty Programs, Low Income Groups, Program Effectiveness, Economic Status, COVID-19, Pandemics, Urban Programs, Participant Characteristics, Anxiety, Racial Differences, Family Income, Coaching (Performance), Family Characteristics, Program Attitudes, Personal Autonomy, Self Determination
Geographic Terms: Massachusetts (Cambridge)
Abstract: In recent years, there has been renewed attention to unrestricted cash assistance programs as a means of alleviating poverty. This attention is due, in part, to pilot program initiatives that were launched to address the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is difficult to draw conclusions from the resulting body of evidence on these programs, due to variations in their design and their target populations. In addition, these programs are generally temporary but aim to address long-term, complex challenges. Evidence does consistently show that cash assistance alleviates material hardships and promotes a sense of agency when participants can choose how to best meet their needs. This report presents findings from MDRC's mixed-methods evaluation of Rise Up Cambridge, an 18-month-long citywide cash assistance program that provided $500 per month to families with low incomes (up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level) with at least one child aged 21 years or younger in the home. Through unrestricted payments, the program provided meaningful financial relief to families with low incomes, helping them meet basic needs, buffer financial shocks, and reduce stress. Extensive outreach efforts and enrollment support contributed to a citywide reach. In addition to describing the outcomes and experiences of families with varied characteristics, this report attempts to answer an ambitious question: How can unrestricted cash assistance programs support families' efforts to reach financial stability and promote economic mobility? [This report was funded by the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Community Foundation.]
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 20260101
Accession Number: ED681677
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED681677
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED681677
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Insight from Rise Up Cambridge: Promoting Economic Stability through Cash Assistance
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mina+Addo%22">Mina Addo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Katerina+Galkin%22">Katerina Galkin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Crystal+Ganges-Reid%22">Crystal Ganges-Reid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aleksandra+Yusim%22">Aleksandra Yusim</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22MDRC%22">MDRC</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22MDRC%22"><i>MDRC</i></searchLink>. 2026.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: MDRC. 16 East 34th Street 19th Floor, New York, NY 10016-4326. Tel: 212-532-3200; Fax: 212-684-0832; e-mail: publications@mdrc.org; Web site: http://www.mdrc.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 108
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Poverty+Programs%22">Poverty Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Income+Groups%22">Low Income Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+Status%22">Economic Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+Programs%22">Urban Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Participant+Characteristics%22">Participant Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racial+Differences%22">Racial Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Income%22">Family Income</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coaching+%28Performance%29%22">Coaching (Performance)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Characteristics%22">Family Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Attitudes%22">Program Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personal+Autonomy%22">Personal Autonomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Determination%22">Self Determination</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Massachusetts+%28Cambridge%29%22">Massachusetts (Cambridge)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: In recent years, there has been renewed attention to unrestricted cash assistance programs as a means of alleviating poverty. This attention is due, in part, to pilot program initiatives that were launched to address the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is difficult to draw conclusions from the resulting body of evidence on these programs, due to variations in their design and their target populations. In addition, these programs are generally temporary but aim to address long-term, complex challenges. Evidence does consistently show that cash assistance alleviates material hardships and promotes a sense of agency when participants can choose how to best meet their needs. This report presents findings from MDRC's mixed-methods evaluation of Rise Up Cambridge, an 18-month-long citywide cash assistance program that provided $500 per month to families with low incomes (up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level) with at least one child aged 21 years or younger in the home. Through unrestricted payments, the program provided meaningful financial relief to families with low incomes, helping them meet basic needs, buffer financial shocks, and reduce stress. Extensive outreach efforts and enrollment support contributed to a citywide reach. In addition to describing the outcomes and experiences of families with varied characteristics, this report attempts to answer an ambitious question: How can unrestricted cash assistance programs support families' efforts to reach financial stability and promote economic mobility? [This report was funded by the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Community Foundation.]
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: ERIC
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 20260101
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED681677
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED681677
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 108
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Poverty Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Income Groups
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Economic Status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Urban Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Participant Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Racial Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Family Income
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Coaching (Performance)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Family Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Personal Autonomy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Determination
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Massachusetts (Cambridge)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Insight from Rise Up Cambridge: Promoting Economic Stability through Cash Assistance
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: MDRC
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mina Addo
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Katerina Galkin
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Crystal Ganges-Reid
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Aleksandra Yusim
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: MDRC
              Type: main
ResultId 1