On March 13-14, 2012, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) convened the Promising Pathways Initiative Innovation Institute in Washington, DC. The Promising Pathways Initiative provides technical assistance to state and local TANF programs and…

From the Lumina Foundation, this video clip provides information on a public-private partnership in Louisville, Kentucky. The partnership has set a goal of adding 55,000 bachelors and associate degrees by the year 2020. The partnership is a…

This report describes work in Connecticut, Indiana, South Carolina, and Wisconsin to link Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) with other administrative data for operational and research purposes. The report describes the agencies and…

This Portfolio of Research in Welfare and Family Self-Sufficiency describes the major research projects of the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation’s Division of Economic Independence. The Portfolio is divided into four sections – TANF and…

In this report from Ascend at the Aspen Institute, the authors outline the emerging case for two-generation approaches to moving parents and families toward economic security. The report outlines key trends and data that are prompting the need for…

Many State TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) programs identify literacy services as a critical program component to provide participants. However, as most States experience budget shortfalls and are pressured to focus on job placement…

TANF potentially serves as a portal for a wide array of programs that provide cash income support, in-kind nutrition and housing assistance, tax credits, and other services to families with low-incomes. This research brief summarizes what we know…

Almost half of TANF cases are "child-only" in which no adult is included in the benefit calculation. In about 4 out of 10 these cases, the children live with relatives or nonrelatives instead of their parents. The other 6 in 10 cases include…

Over the past two decades, federal and state policymakers have dramatically reshaped the nation’s system of cash welfare assistance for low-income families. Through national legislation and state-initiated reform and experimentation, policymakers…

A central component of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is its emphasis on work. Adult TANF recipients, with some exceptions, must participate in work activities as a condition of receiving cash benefits. This brief…