City of Austin's RISE 2.0 application to close Monday

AUSTIN, Texas - The city of Austin's Relief in a State of Emergency or RISE 2.0 fund application will close soon.

The application, which can be filled out online or over the phone, will be open until 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21. The online application can be accessed 24 hours a day and those wanting to apply over the phone can call 512-714-6950 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

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The city of Austin's Relief in a State of Emergency or RISE 2.0 fund application will close soon. (FOX 7 Austin)

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RISE 2.0 funds, up to $10 million, will be distributed to individuals who apply and are chosen through a randomized selection process. Chosen applicants will receive $2,000 per household and applicants will need to provide their monthly income, and each applicant and household can only apply once, according to the city.

Eligibility Requirements:

At or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
A resident of Austin or Travis County
18 years of age or older
Experiencing hardship related to COVID-19
Have not received other financial assistance in the past 30 days

After Monday's deadline, the city says the phone bank will remain open from Sept. 22 to Oct. 2 to answer any questions from the public. From Sept. 23 to Oct. 6, the randomized application selection process will be completed, and applicants will be notified if they were selected or not.

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Starting on Sept. 23 until Oct. 30, funds will be distributed in one of the following ways:

Direct ACH bank transfer (individuals who choose this option will receive the funds sooner)  
Virtual Prepaid Card (sent via email) 
Mailed Prepaid Card

However, if those selected applied through the phone bank, they will receive the funds via a prepaid card distributed by El Buen Samaritano.  

RISE 2.0 funds will be distributed by El Buen Samaritano and Family Independence Initiative (FII), who are responsible for operating a phone bank and a centralized application and distribution process with a secure online portal, says the city. FII will manage the randomized application selection process.

Approximately $1 million of the RISE 2.0 fund will be used for the administrative process to distribute the funds through third-party organizations, says the city. APH expects 4,500 households to benefit from the RISE 2.0 funds. 

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RISE 2.0 funds come after the original $15 million were awarded to 20 non-profits and social services agencies in May and June. Most of the funds distributed to the original 20 agencies have been exhausted. The following organizations received funds from the original RISE fund:

Austin Area Urban League: $500,000 
Austin Diaper Bank: $206,000 
Austin Voices for Education and Youth: $450,000 
Caritas of Austin: $1,000,000 
Catholic Charities of Central Texas: $1,600,000 
Central Texas Food Bank: $2,000,000 
El Buen Samaritano: $500,000 
Equity Office (FII): $2,500,000 
Family ElderCare: $277,241 
FLCCT: $202,300 
Goodwill Industries of Central Texas: $1,255,487 
Meals on Wheels and More: $250,000 
No More No Mas: $120,000 
SAHELI: $1,000,000 
St. Vincent De Paul: $1,000,000 
Survive2 Thrive: $800,000 
The ARC of the Capital Area: $250,000 
Workers Assistance Program: $250,000 
Workers Defense Project: $400,000 
Wright House Wellness Center: $35,063 
Youth and Family Alliance: $376,046

For more information and updates on the fund, click here.

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