Findings: RISE

Participants Enter RISE With Little Financial Margin

Most participants enter RISE with little room between income and essential expenses, limited savings, and little ability to absorb emergencies.

Participants’ Barriers Are Widespread and Often Interconnected

Participants face challenges across multiple life domains at once, and barriers in one area often compound others.

Support is Layered, Reciprocal, and Uneven

Many participants combine government assistance, family support, and community resources to get by—but supports are uneven and rarely create security.

What RISE Participants Say They Are Focused On

Participants are focused first on financial stabilization, while still describing longer-term goals for their families, futures, and communities.

Participants Enter RISE From Different Starting Points

While financial strain is widely shared, participants vary meaningfully by income, age, challenge severity, available support, and county.

Baseline Demographics of RISE Study Participants

Baseline demographic table of RISE study participants