USES’s S.T.E.P (Striving Towards Economic Prosperity) Program aims to address the multi-faceted barriers individuals face in escaping poverty. The program is particularly relevant and important now, as families continue to navigate the loss of income, new expenses, and unprecedented levels of stress on household stability and children’s academic and social wellbeing brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in October and with the support of key funders, USES will conduct an 18-month Guaranteed Income Program. This program will provide 16 parents of children enrolled in our youth programs with $800 of unrestricted monthly payments to alleviate financial stressors and support families as they work to increase their financial stability.

The S.T.E.P Program application will be open and available for eligible applicants on this website from the week of September 15-September 22, 2021.

Applications are currently closed

Eligible applicants will be randomly selected on Monday, September 23rd. Families will be entered into a weighted lottery, where households below 30% of the AMI will receive an extra point.

The selected households will receive an email and phone call confirmation on Friday, September 24th, and will be asked to schedule a benefit screening between September 27th-October 1st. If we are not able to reach you by Wednesday, September 29th, you will lose your spot.

• What are the requirements to apply?
  USES households with children currently enrolled and with at least three months of enrollment in the past year in ECE or club48, or families enrolled in Camp Hale for two of the past three summers (2019, 2020, and 2021). Households AMI at or below 50% and living in the Greater Boston Area.
  
  Applicants will need to submit proof of income (pay stubs for the last two months) for each household member over the age of 18. Please include unemployment compensation and cash or disability assistance.
• When will the application become available?
  Applications will be open for one week, starting at 10 am on September 15th to 11:59 pm on September 22nd.
• How many participants will be selected and by whom?
  16 eligible households will be selected for this program through a randomized lottery.
• If selected, what are the payment amounts and frequency?
  Each selected family will receive $800 per month for 18 months.
• Does the money have to be used in a certain way?
  No, the payments have no strings attached. Participants will receive a check every month. However, selected households will need to report generally on the usage of funds for evaluation purposes.
• What happens to those households not selected for the program?
  Families not selected for the program will be notified on September 24th and might be asked to participate in a voluntary incentivized control group for the duration of the 18months. The control group is a group of families not part of the cash grant program but compensated for completing 6 surveys about their finances and family’s wellbeing.
• How will funds be distributed?
  Fund will be distributed monthly in the form of checks. Participants can opt to pick up the checks in person or have them mailed each month.
• Will these funds affect eligibility for public benefits?
  USES is working in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Boston Housing Authority (BHA), Metro Housing, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and the Department of EEC to minimize the effect of the program on benefits. USES will offer Income Support Screenings to all participants to assess the impact on benefits.