Blue Sky Possibilities Framework

Record Description

Families often need more than a single service to achieve lasting economic mobility. As a facilitation model for building long-term collaboration between communities, public systems, and nonprofit partners, the Blue Sky Possibilities Framework encourages organizations to think broadly about family well-being and identify opportunities to better support children, parents, and caregivers. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, the framework can serve as a planning and discussion tool for exploring how programs can address both immediate needs and long-term goals. It helps TANF staff consider what conditions support family success and where partnerships, policies, or services may create stronger outcomes.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-06-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-06-01

Using TANF to Support Child Care and At-Home Parental Caregivers

Record Description

This Office of Family Assistance Information Memorandum (IM) highlights how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds can be used to support families with childcare needs, including parents and caregivers who provide care at home. It offers flexible ways for TANF programs to support family stability while recognizing the realities many caregivers face when balancing work, caregiving responsibilities, and economic hardship.

The IM can help TANF practitioners think more broadly about how childcare supports fit into employment and family well-being goals. It also offers useful guidance for program planning, policy discussions, and partnerships with childcare providers and community organizations. TANF programs looking to strengthen support for caregivers, reduce barriers to participation, or expand family-centered approaches may consider how they can apply this information in their own communities.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-11T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-11

Reflections and Pathways Forward on MMIWR, Domestic Violence, and Native Maternal Health

Record Description

This National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center recording on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR), domestic violence, and Native maternal health explores the intersection of safety, health, and family well-being in Tribal communities. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners working with Native families, the recording provides important context on how domestic violence and systemic barriers can affect family stability and access to services. It also highlights the importance of responsive approaches that recognize community strengths and lived experiences. TANF practitioners can use this resource to and begin exploring ways to strengthen partnerships and improve supportive services for Native families and Tribal communities.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-15T00:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-15

Tailored for Success: How Two Programs in Los Angeles Customize Employment Services for Young People

Record Description

This MDRC report explores how two workforce programs in Los Angeles adapted employment services to better meet the needs of young people. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners serving youth and young parents, this resource offers insight into why flexible, individualized approaches matter. The resource highlights strategies such as personalized coaching, relationship-building, and responsive support services that help young people stay engaged and move toward employment goals. Programs looking to improve participation, reduce barriers, and better connect with younger clients may find useful ideas for strengthening their own service delivery models.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-27T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-27

Project Life: Life Skills Curriculum

Record Description

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs often serve young people who are expected to move toward independence while still developing basic skills needed for adulthood, such as managing money, maintaining housing, or making informed health and education decisions. This curriculum by the Virginia Department of Social Services offers a structured way to support that work through practical, ready-to-use workshops organized around key life domains like career preparation, money management, housing, education, health and nutrition, and risk prevention.

For TANF practitioners, the value is in the curriculum’s usability. Each topic includes multiple workshops with facilitator guides and supporting materials, which reduces the burden on staff to design programming from scratch. It can be used flexibly across settings: case management, group workshops, or partner-led programming.

Instead of relying on informal coaching or uneven program content, staff can use a shared curriculum that supports repeatable instruction across participants and sites. This helps create more continuity in services, especially for youth who need reinforcement over time rather than single-touch interventions.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-01

Life Skills Toolkit

Record Description

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners often need a clear way to identify what a participant can already do independently and where support is still needed, especially when working with youth and young adults. This Casey Family Programs toolkit provides that structure in a straightforward way for use in everyday case management. It helps translate broad goals like “become self-sufficient” into specific skill areas such as budgeting, communication, and managing daily responsibilities. The value for TANF work is that it creates a shared language between staff and participants, making progress easier to see and track. It also helps engage clients by turning abstract expectations into visible, achievable steps.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-04-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2022-01-25

FosterClub: Transition Toolkit

Record Description

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs frequently serve youth who are moving into adulthood without stable family support; basic planning around housing, money, and daily decision-making can determine whether they stabilize or cycle through crisis. This FosterClub toolkit gives TANF practitioners something concrete to use in those moments. It turns “transition planning” into practical activities that can be used directly in coaching sessions, rather than requiring staff to design their own materials. This toolkit addresses how young people are expected to navigate independence without structured, hands-on preparation. Practitioners can use it to make conversations more actionable and to help participants build real-world readiness step by step.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-01

State Strategies for TANF Child-Only Grants and Related Assistance

Record Description

This Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network tipsheet focuses on how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs can support children living with relatives or caregivers who are not receiving full family benefits. It fills a key gap for kinship families who often step in without financial preparation. TANF practitioners can use these strategies to design or improve child-only grants, ensuring support reaches the child without creating unnecessary barriers for caregivers. It also helps staff think through policy and implementation choices that better reflect the realities of kinship care.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2025-06-01

Navigating Youth Emotions

Record Description

The National Youth Employment Coalition will host a webinar on May 14, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. to assist workforce development professionals with better understanding and responding to the emotional experiences of young people. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners working with youth and young adults, especially those facing instability or major life transitions, emotional regulation and communication can directly affect engagement in employment and supportive services. This webinar will provide practical evidence-based strategies staff can use to build trust, improve communication, and create more supportive interactions with youth participants.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-05-14T14:30:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-05-14