The Brookline Community Foundation (BCF) and Brookline Housing Authority (BHA) today announced the launch of a new guaranteed income initiative to support Brookline residents experiencing economic hardship. The pilot program, UpTogether Brookline, will offer 55 Brookline residents $750 per month in unrestricted funding for 12 months.
Guaranteed income programs provide individuals facing financial hardship with consistent, unconditional cash that helps them meet their immediate needs, such as housing, food, and healthcare. By reducing financial stress, these programs create the stability and breathing room people need to pursue education, secure better employment, or build savings—key steps toward long-term self-sufficiency.
The one-year pilot is funded by $460,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars allocated by the Town of Brookline to BCF and the BHA, as well as an additional $76,000 grant from BCF. A committee of Brookline residents informed the decision to focus on guaranteed income and provided insights on program design, eligibility, and operation. The pilot will include 55 households who experienced financial setbacks due to the pandemic, are residents in state/federal public housing or Section 8 voucher holders, and are enrolled in the BHA’s Self-Sufficiency Programs. Recipients can use the funds as they choose—to cover rent, buy groceries, care for loved ones, or invest in education or training.
“Beyond providing safe and comfortable, affordable housing, BHA has a long-standing commitment to supporting our residents to achieve their personal goals and create pathways to financial security and advancement,” says BHA Executive Director Ben Stone. “This pilot will enhance our economic mobility program, and we are excited to see how these funds help our residents achieve their goals.”
“I’m thrilled that we’re engaging in this exciting initiative with our trusted partners at the Brookline Housing Authority,” says BCF Board Co-President Zoraida Fernandez. “Guaranteed income initiatives like UpTogether Brookline recognize that people are the true experts in their own lives. We hope this pilot will be transformative for participants and can offer greater insight into how to build a Brookline community where everyone has the resources to thrive.”
UpTogether Brookline joins hundreds of communities in Massachusetts and nationally—including Salem, Somerville, and Cambridge, MA—that are demonstrating how unrestricted cash investments lead to greater stability, opportunity, and autonomy for families. A voluntary survey will help partners capture the impact and, in combination with lessons learned elsewhere, inform future policy. BHA and BCF will operate this pilot in partnership with national nonprofit UpTogether, an experienced operator of similar programs that has worked with government and philanthropic partners to distribute more than $200 million in direct payments to households since 2020.
“When families have the resources and trust they need, they invest in their goals, their communities, and their futures,” says Jesús Gerena, CEO of UpTogether. “We’re proud to partner with the Brookline Community Foundation and the Brookline Housing Authority to move forward on this proven approach to economic mobility.”
