Pregnancy can bring new expenses before the baby even arrives, from prenatal needs and baby supplies to changes in work and household costs. The Bridge Project is offering eligible pregnant women in Milwaukee more than three years of unrestricted cash support to help during pregnancy and early parenthood.
Applications for the newest Milwaukee cohort open October 1, 2026.
What the Bridge Project Offers
The Bridge Project provides $20,250 in unrestricted cash assistance over three years.
Participants receive:
- $1,125 as a one-time upfront prenatal stipend
- $750 per month for the first 15 months
- $375 per month for the remaining 21 months
That adds up to $20,250 per participant.
This is unrestricted cash, which means there are no rules requiring you to spend the money on certain things. Participants can decide how to use it based on their family’s needs, whether that’s food, formula, rent, childcare, diapers, car repairs or something else.
The expanded Milwaukee program is expected to support at least 180 pregnant women.
Who Qualifies
To be eligible for the new Milwaukee cohort, you must meet all of these requirements:
- Be 18 years old or older
- Be 23 weeks pregnant or less
- Live in the City of Milwaukee
- Have an annual household income of less than $39,000
The program is now open citywide, so you do not have to live in one of the original four ZIP codes to apply.
However, some of the program’s funding is designated to prioritize eligible applicants living in certain Milwaukee ZIP codes and neighborhoods.
Priority areas include ZIP codes:
- 53204
- 53205
- 53206
- 53208
- 53215
- 53218
Priority neighborhoods include Lindsay Heights, Clarke Square, Layton Boulevard West, Washington Park and Silver Spring.
Living outside these priority areas does not automatically make you ineligible as long as you live within the City of Milwaukee and meet the other requirements.
The Bridge Project also says you do not need a Social Security number or ITIN to participate.
If you want additional context for the income requirement, our federal poverty level guide can help you compare your household income with current federal guidelines.
How to Apply
Applications for the second Milwaukee cohort open online on October 1, 2026 through The Bridge Project.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will remain open until all available program slots have been filled.
However, this is not first-come, first-served. Eligible participants are chosen through a randomized selection process, so applying earlier does not mean you’ll automatically have a better chance of being selected.
Completing an application also does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
Watch Out for Scams
The Bridge Project warns applicants about potential scams involving programs like this one.
The organization says it will never ask for your Social Security number and will not ask you to provide bank information through a text message or email.
If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from The Bridge Project, verify it through the organization’s official website before providing personal information.
Relief Recap
The Bridge Project’s new Milwaukee cohort will provide eligible pregnant women with $20,250 in unrestricted cash over three years, starting with a $1,125 prenatal payment and continuing with monthly payments after that.
To qualify, you must be at least 18, be 23 weeks pregnant or less, live in the City of Milwaukee and have an annual household income below $39,000.
Applications open October 1, 2026 and will remain open until all program slots are filled. Eligible applicants are selected through a randomized process rather than on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you’re pregnant and looking for other financial help right now, our hardship grants roundup has more programs worth checking.
