Having a child removed from your home can create enormous emotional and financial strain. Mother Up is a Washington, DC guaranteed income research pilot designed for eligible mothers navigating involvement with the child welfare system.
For mothers selected for the program’s direct cash transfer group, assistance can reach $500 per month for 36 months, or $18,000 in monthly cash payments.
What Mother Up Offers
Mother Up is operated by Mother’s Outreach Network and independently evaluated by researchers at Harvard Law School’s Access to Justice Lab.
Phase III participants are randomly assigned by computer to one of two groups.
The Direct Cash Transfer Group receives:
- $500 per month for 36 months
- Incentive payments for completing research activities
That means participants in this group can receive $18,000 in direct monthly cash payments, plus applicable research incentives.
The Compensated Research Group does not receive the $500 monthly payments but does receive incentive payments for participating in research activities such as surveys and interviews.
Participants also receive access to legal support or referrals through the pilot.
Who Qualifies
Mother Up Phase III is designed for biological mothers in Washington, DC who have had a young child removed from their home through involvement with the DC Child & Family Services Agency (CFSA) or Child Protective Services (CPS).
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years old or older
- Speak English
- Live in DC Wards 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, or currently be experiencing housing instability
- Be eligible for public benefits such as TANF or SNAP
- Not currently receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Be a biological mother with custodial responsibilities for a child age 14 or younger
- Meet the program’s requirements related to the child’s removal through CFSA/CPS involvement
There is an important discrepancy in Mother’s Outreach Network’s published eligibility information. The organization’s main Mother Up page says Phase III originally required the child’s removal to have occurred within one year of enrollment, but that eligibility was expanded in early 2026 to allow mothers to enroll up to three years after their child was removed by CFSA.
However, the separate Phase III page and program materials still reference a one-year window.
If your child’s removal occurred more than one year ago, contact Mother’s Outreach Network to confirm whether you qualify under the expanded eligibility rules.
Important Warning About SSI
Current SSI recipients are not eligible for Mother Up Phase III.
Mother’s Outreach Network also warns that participation in the pilot could affect SSI eligibility. If SSI may apply to your situation, it’s important to understand how participation could interact with those benefits before enrolling.
How Selection Works
Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee selection for Mother Up.
The program has limited capacity. Applicants must first be selected to participate in the research pilot, and participants are then randomly assigned by computer to either the Direct Cash Transfer Group or the Compensated Research Group.
That means applying does not guarantee either a spot in the pilot or the $500 monthly payments.
How to Apply
Mother Up has a published Phase III application at bit.ly/MotherUpPhase3.
Because the program’s recruitment information dates back to 2025 and earlier in 2026, confirm that Phase III is still accepting participants before applying. Mother’s Outreach Network confirmed recruitment was still underway in May 2026, but it does not currently publish a September 2026 deadline or confirm that spaces remain.
To check availability, contact Mother’s Outreach Network at pilot@mothersoutreachnetwork.org or 202-818-8649.
Relief Recap
Mother Up Phase III is a guaranteed income research pilot for eligible DC mothers navigating family separation and involvement with the child welfare system.
Participants selected for the study are randomly assigned to one of two groups. Those assigned to the Direct Cash Transfer Group receive $500 per month for 36 months, totaling $18,000, plus research participation incentives. The other group receives research incentives but not the monthly $500 payments.
Mother’s Outreach Network confirmed that Phase III recruitment was underway in May 2026, but a current September 2026 enrollment deadline or confirmation that spaces remain available is not published. Check with the program directly before applying.
If you’re navigating the child welfare system and need additional financial support, our hardship grants roundup has more resources worth checking.
