News & Features

We hear about the benefit cliff a lot in our financial wellness programs at Women’s Money Matters – when families start to earn just enough to lose benefits, but not enough to be financially stable, a step forward becomes a major setback.  On May 14th,  we celebrated a collective step forward with the launch of the Benefit Cliff Pilot, Bridge to Prosperity.

The Bridge to Prosperity is a first-of-its-kind pilot that not only provides direct cash payments to individuals experiencing the benefit cliff, but also the career pathways and financial coaching needed to ensure lasting economic mobility. The research gathered from this 3-year pilot will inform policy change at the state and national levels.

The full network of support was in attendance, from funders to community support partners to legislators, State Representative Patricia Duffy, and Senator Jamie Eldridge. The event centered on voices of lived experience through our panel of WMM program graduates who are now part of the first cohort of pilot participants in Boston. Our deepest appreciation to Deonne, Nyesha, Vivana, and Liza for bravely sharing their stories and the impact of both the benefit cliff and the pilot on their daily lives.

We are grateful to JPMorganChase for their $500K gift to Women’s Money Matters, as part of a coalition of partners with Springfield WORKS/Working Cities Challenge, to advance this pilot in support of low-income families in Massachusetts as they navigate the “benefits cliff” and transition to long-term economic mobility, while producing actionable insights to inform sustainable policy change.

A huge thank you to The Boston Foundation for so generously hosting this event and for your support of this pilot. This important work is possible through a partnership with the support of MassMutual Foundation, UpTogether, and Boston Medical Center (BMC). We were joined by the wonderful Thea James, MD, MPH, MBA, as our keynote, reminding us of the intersection between financial stability and personal and community-wide health. 

Finally, we encourage you to listen to two WMM Graduates and pilot participants, Nyesha and Liza, in recent interviews on WBUR and NBC Boston Stations, links in the comments below. Their stories are the heart of our mission at Women’s Money Matters, and we are so grateful for the diverse and committed network of support!

For more information

About Women’s Money Matters: 
Women’s Money Matters, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower women and girls living on low incomes with the tools to transform their financial futures. WMM programs provide essential money management skills and a strong support network, enabling participants to create secure, stable lives for their families and communities. WMM serves women and girls aged 8 through retirement who are living on low incomes, many in transitional housing. Core programs provide one-to-one coaching, and peer cohorts for social support and belonging. Topics include building and repairing credit, creating a spending and savings plan that works, and keeping your money safe. Volunteers are core to our work. There are a range of remote and in person opportunities. All you need is the desire to help another women or girl make the most of the money she has. WMM has reached thousands of women across Massachusetts and continues to grow programming to meet the demand for programming. For more information contact Women’s Money Matters at (617) 297-7376; Danielle Piskadlo [email protected]

About Springfield WORKS: https://springfieldworks.net/
Springfield WORKS, an economic development initiative with the Western Mass Economic Development
Council, is dedicated to removing systemic and racial barriers to economic mobility and well-being.
Through targeted collaboration with community partners, employers, policymakers, educators, and
residents, our work is influencing the way employers source talent and career seekers gain access to
economic opportunities by providing solutions, networks, tools, and resources that remove barriers to
prosperity. For more information contact Anne Kandilis at [email protected].

About JPMorganChase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $4.4 trillion in assets and $351 billion in stockholders’ equity as of March 31, 2025. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers predominantly in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com
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Thank you to NBC 10 Boston for providing this excellent coverage of the Benefit Cliff dynamic and the Bridge To Prosperity pilot.  An excerpt is below, as well as links to the full video interviews in both English and Spanish.  

Making too much money for public assistance, not enough to make ends meet

Article Excerpt: 

“As soon as I got a job, those benefits started getting cut,” Liza Montalban [WMM program graduate] said. “And unfortunately, the way the system works, a lot of the times they count your gross income and not your net pay. So what I was making on paper was a lot more than what I was bringing home. So I really was relying on those benefits, and when those benefits started getting decreased or completely cut, I found myself in another difficult situation again, even though I was working.”

This experience is known as the benefits cliff effect. Eligibility for public benefits like food, healthcare, housing and childcare assistance are based on income. The cliff effect happens when families’ income increases enough that they lose eligibility for these benefits, but can’t yet afford these needs on their own.

In Massachusetts, over 700,000 individuals live at or below the poverty line and face benefits cliff issues, according to Women’s Money Matters. Their research shows housing assistance can drop off once a recipient makes $20 an hour; food assistance can drop off once a recipient makes $22 an hour.

Montalban was invited to participate in a pilot program called Bridge to Prosperity that aims to bridge the gap between benefits and wages, with monthly cash payments that make up for the value of lost benefits, ranging from $300 to $700, over two or three years, depending on the group.

“This program has been life-changing for me,” she said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but it immediately supplemented the food stamps. We lost all of it.”

Participants are also paired with financial and career coaches to help them navigate the transition from public benefits assistance as they climb the economic ladder.

“We look at what are her goals from a professional perspective as well as financial perspective and we work together on a plan that allows her to take steps and action hopefully to meet her goals,” said Raffaella Molteni, Montalban’s coach.

Thank you to Liza for sharing your story. Watch the video in the links blow to see the full interview!

Link to NBC 10 Boston Interview

Link to Telemundo Interview

Women’s Money Matters empowers women and girls to improve their financial health to create a more secure future for their families and communities.

Ready to make a difference? Volunteer Coaches and Presenters make our mission happen. Our unique online and in-person programs offer one-on-one financial mentoring, workshops, and small peer group communities. 

Complete the Volunteer interest form on our website to join the next orientation, and help us spread the word to women and girls about our financial empowerment programs. 

April 30th, 2025: We are thrilled to announce the official press release about Bridge To Prosperity: Benefits Cliff Pilot.  See the full text below and keep an eye out for additional coverage by local media outlets.  We are grateful for the support from JPMorganChase and Springfield WORKS, and we look forward to sharing the stories of direct impact as the cohort of local participants grows.  For more information, see our full webpage about this pilot, including additional resources.

Women’s Money Matters Advancing Pilot Program to Empower Massachusetts Families and Build their Financial Equity and Success: Multi-year pilot program receiving support from JPMorganChase to address cliff effect challenges facing many low-income families

Women’s Money Matters is today advancing a multi-year pilot program in collaboration with Springfield WORKS to address the pervasive cliff effect that traps many families in cycles of poverty and prevents them from building generational wealth.
With a $500,000 philanthropic grant from JPMorganChase, the Bridge to Prosperity Cliff Effect Pilot will empower families receiving public assistance benefits to overcome financial challenges and achieve sustainable independence. This program will test the impact of supplemental financial support, combined with financial and career coaching to help families navigate the transition from public benefits assistance to sustained economic mobility and prosperity.

The Bridge to Prosperity Cliff Effect Pilot is a state-wide project that seeks to work with up to 100 low-income working families who are receiving public assistance and live in greater Boston, Worcester and Springfield. In addition to supporting participants and their families on the road to economic financial stability, the pilot also aims to demonstrate how public and private investments can help households successfully transition from public assistance to permanent employment that meets their financial needs across the US.

The “Cliff Effect” refers to a barriers in our public benefits system that inadvertently disincentivizes work. Eligibility for family supports like food, health care, housing and childcare assistance are based on income. The Cliff Effect happens when families’ income increases enough that they lose eligibility for these benefits, but not enough to yet afford housing, health care, and childcare on their own. The result is that an increase in wages often leads to a decline in standard of living – working harder, but bringing less income home.

Research from the pilot will be used to:
● Demonstrate the impact of transitional support to help families bridge the economic mobility gap created by the benefits cliff while pursuing employment pathways to a living wage
● Reinforce workforce development efforts and combating worker shortages
● Demonstrate the case and providing data for systemic policy change to create pathways for greater financial security and generational wealth building.

Danielle Piskadlo, Executive Director of Women’s Money Matters, says, “We are deeply grateful to JPMorganChase for their incredible support. This grant will significantly bolster our efforts to support working families and ensure that the system is working to improve their economic wellbeing and remove barriers that prevent them from accessing opportunities to improve financial well-being.”

Anne Kandilis, Director of Springfield WORKS, Western Mass Economic Development Council, commented “Springfield WORKS is thrilled to partner with Women’s Money Matters to advance this critical Pilot. Health care, hospitality, education, front line, and part-time workers are disproportionately affected, as are women and people of color who work in these jobs. Our ability to meet current labor needs and grow our economy depends on creating the right economic incentives and making sure the pathways to career opportunities are open and accessible to all.”

“A good job, with the promise of growth and upward mobility, is important to helping people build a strong financial foundation and improve their financial health. However, for too many families, the risk of losing essential benefits that help manage daily needs discourages them from taking opportunities to invest in their future,” said Mercedeh Mortazavi, Head of Financial Health, JPMorganChase Global Philanthropy. “We’re thrilled to support Women’s Money Matters in this work to help more Massachusetts families improve their financial health, while building an evidence base for a model that can empower more Americans to pursue greater economic opportunity.”

Public benefits are a necessary lifeline for families living on lower incomes. This is especially true for those living at or below the federal 200% poverty level, which is defined as an annual income of at least $46,800 for a family of four. However, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, “the benefits cliff can affect people with incomes up to about $60,000 a year” meaning it affects individuals beyond what is considered poverty. Any attempt at improving their financial circumstances could mean forfeiting the support they need to meet their basic living requirements, forcing families to make a choice between daily survival or building wealth.

Nationally, 38 million people live at or below the federal 200% poverty line, meaning that the benefits cliffs prevent over 12% of the U.S. population from taking steps to pursue economic mobility. In Massachusetts, over 700,000 individuals live at or below the poverty line and face benefits cliff issues.

Women’s Money Matters witnesses the consequences of the Cliff Effects every day. Through our financial wellness programs, women feel empowered to continue their journey and increase their income for themselves and their families, until they are face-to-face with the benefits cliff.

Change takes time and this multi-year pilot project will demonstrate how employment, coaching, and financial support will impact participants’ economic and family well-being. If successful, this pilot will serve as a model for change and demonstrate innovative ways of rethinking America’s safety net programs to more effectively support entry into meaningful work and career advancement to economic mobility.

For more information

About Women’s Money Matters: 
Women’s Money Matters, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower women and girls living on low incomes with the tools to transform their financial futures. WMM programs provide essential money management skills and a strong support network, enabling participants to create secure, stable lives for their families and communities. WMM serves women and girls aged 8 through retirement who are living on low incomes, many in transitional housing. Core programs provide one-to-one coaching, and peer cohorts for social support and belonging. Topics include building and repairing credit, creating a spending and savings plan that works, and keeping your money safe. Volunteers are core to our work. There are a range of remote and in person opportunities. All you need is the desire to help another women or girl make the most of the money she has. WMM has reached thousands of women across Massachusetts and continues to grow programming to meet the demand for programming. For more information contact Women’s Money Matters at (617) 297-7376; Danielle Piskadlo [email protected]

About Springfield WORKS: https://springfieldworks.net/
Springfield WORKS, an economic development initiative with the Western Mass Economic Development
Council, is dedicated to removing systemic and racial barriers to economic mobility and well-being.
Through targeted collaboration with community partners, employers, policymakers, educators, and
residents, our work is influencing the way employers source talent and career seekers gain access to
economic opportunities by providing solutions, networks, tools, and resources that remove barriers to
prosperity. For more information contact Anne Kandilis at [email protected].

About JPMorganChase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $4.4 trillion in assets and $351 billion in stockholders’ equity as of March 31, 2025. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers predominantly in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com
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Thank you to WBUR for covering the launch of this new pilot! The full transcript and link to audio are below. 

It’s often called the “benefits cliff”: making too little money in a job to survive, but enough to no longer qualify for federal or state benefits. Research shows this stressful balancing act tends to keep people in poverty.

This happened to Nyesha Wornum, a mother living in the Boston area. She recently took on more hours at her technical job, going from 20 hours per week to 25. Those extra five hours cost her the subsidies she had been getting for food and child care.

“ I fell into the trap,” Wornum said. “I lost all of my benefits. I’m a mother of twins, and I went from $700 to $0 for grocery assistance just in one month of finding a part-time job. I cried when I lost the benefits because it was that instant.”

Wornum is trying to get out of this cycle by enrolling in a new program called Bridge to Prosperity. The three-year pilot is intended to help women advance in their careers and gradually get off of government benefits.

The program will provide so-called “gap” payments to participants so they can take on extra work, but have money to cover any loss of benefits.

The program also provides coaching on saving and other spending strategies.

More than a dozen women from Boston, Worcester and Springfield are enrolled in the program’s first of three cohorts. The program is organized by a group of nonprofits including Women’s Money Matters in Boston.

Organizers say this pilot is the first experiment in Massachusetts to address the benefits gap.

“ We are encouraging moms to increase their hours, to increase their wages, to take that promotion, to take the job training, and then we can bridge those payments as they lose the benefits,” said Carla Poulos, senior manager of programs and advocacy with Women’s Money Matters.

The new pilot program will provide participants money to make up for the loss of benefits. They’ll also receive a lump sum of $10,000 when they finish the pilot to boost their financial independence.

Wornum says the bridge payments from the pilot will be a lifeline.

“ For me, it makes a difference in terms of my rent payment,” said Wornum. “Being able to actually keep the money that I do have to try to save, try to get myself out of the trap.”

Read or listen to the article here: 

https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/02/26/benefits-cliff-money-women-pilot-program-benefits