Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What is the 4-CT Card?

The 4-CT Card is a prepaid, Mastercard debit card. The purpose of the 4-CT Card is to relieve economic pressures and provide Connecticut residents with flexible resources to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. With the 4-CT Card, 4-CT is committed to providing fast, flexible, low-barrier assistance in a manner that is based on trust – trust in our partner organizations and trust in the individuals seeking assistance.

How much money is on the 4-CT Card?

4-CT Card amounts vary depending upon the program, pilot or individual need.

How are 4-CT Cards used?

A 4-CT Card can be used as a debit card at any retail store or online merchant. Additionally, 4-CT Card funds can be converted to cash at an ATM or through cash back at a store.

When someone uses a 4-CT Card as a debit card, 4-CT receives data on when, where, and how much of the 4-CT Card is spent. If a 4-CT Cardholder converts their funds to cash, 4-CT is unable to track spending. Nevertheless, we hypothesize that cash is mostly used to pay for rent and housing costs that often cannot be paid for by debit card. 4-CT has observed that card amounts converted to cash roughly track with those recipients who expressed a need for assistance with rent or housing.

Overall, our observations are consistent with published research that shows that individuals who are given money without conditions generally use it to improve their lives and stay on track to reach longer-term financials goals.

How are 4-CT Cards distributed?

4-CT partners with nonprofit organizations that share our enthusiasm for no-strings-attached assistance that places trust and autonomy in the hands of the recipient. The organizations, deeply embedded and trusted in their communities, are able to thoughtfully identify community members who could benefit from direct cash assistance and support them with a 4-CT Card.

4-CT Cards are distributed by our partners and activated and funded remotely by 4-CT. 4-CT does not distribute cards to individual recipients.

What can I do if I need help now?

Check out your local nonprofit organization, including community-based organizations and health centers. Many provide free services and can help to match you with the appropriate assistance for your situation. If you need help finding a local organizations, call 211 – a confidential helpline – or visit https://www.211ct.org/.