Uplift Salem
Uplift Salem was a guaranteed income pilot run by the City of Salem, Massachusetts in partnership with national nonprofit UpTogether, which managed the cash distribution. It provided $500 a month, no strings attached, to 100 randomly selected low-income Salem residents for 12 months, from December 2024 through November 2025. The $685,000 pilot was funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and a private contribution via UpTogether. Salem State University's North Shore Policy Lab and Sociology Department evaluated outcomes for recipients versus a 100-person comparison group.
Guaranteed Income, ARPA-Funded, Municipal Pilot, Lottery Selection, Massachusetts, UpTogether Network, University Research Partnership
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- City of Salem
- City
- Salem
- State / Province
- Massachusetts
- Country
- United States
Contact
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 100
- Funding type
- Government, Philanthropic, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 6,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 12 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct deposit to bank account, Digital/Virtual payment card, Check
- Benefit details
Recipients received $500 per month for 12 consecutive months, totaling up to $6,000, with no restrictions on how funds could be spent. Payments were distributed by UpTogether, which typically pays members via its virtual wallet (bank direct deposit, virtual/physical card, or check). Both the 100 cash recipients and a 100-person comparison group were compensated by UpTogether for participating in the Salem State University research study.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants had to reside in Salem, MA, including unhoused residents who spend the majority of their time in the city, and have a household/family income at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level based on household size (e.g., $31,200/year for a family of four in 2024). Applications were open October 28–November 2024 (or until 350 eligible applications were received) and available in English and Spanish. Eligible applicants were entered into a random lottery, with 100 selected to receive payments and 100 forming a comparison group for the research study.
Demographics
- Language
- English, Spanish
Financial
- Income limit (annual household)
- $31,200
- Income as % of Federal Poverty Level
- 1,002,024 %
Geography
- US states covered
- Massachusetts
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Salem
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
Salem State University faculty Thomas Pineros Shields, PhD (Politics, Policy and International Relations; director of the North Shore Policy Lab) and Sara Moore, PhD (Sociology) led a year-long evaluation comparing the 100 cash recipients to a 100-person comparison group who did not receive payments. Both groups were compensated by UpTogether for study participation. Findings, including that 77% of recipients reported being 'extremely satisfied' with the program, were presented publicly at a Salem State panel ('Restoring Dignity and Quality of Life through Guaranteed Basic Income Programs') on March 25, 2026, with final student-led analysis through the North Shore Policy Lab's Discovery Scholars program completing in May 2026.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were accepted online at salemma.gov/uplift starting October 28, 2024, and remained open for two weeks or until 350 eligible applications were received, whichever came first. The application was available in both English and Spanish. This was a one-time application window for a single pilot cohort; the program is no longer accepting applications.
- Selection process
Eligible applicants (Salem residents, including unhoused residents, with household income at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level) were entered into a random lottery. 100 individuals were selected to receive the monthly cash payments, and a separate 100-person comparison/control group was also selected for the Salem State University research study.
