Federal Program Spotlight: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

by | Feb 10, 2015

tanf

This post is part of Transform Consulting Group’s blog series highlighting federal programs that provide education opportunities and/or youth development services in communities.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federal program to help needy families become self-sufficient. TANF provides cash assistance and support services to indigent families with children under 18. Through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the TANF program provides a block grant to local governments. The Division of Family Resources determines families’ eligibility in Indiana and distributes the grant.

TANF was created in 1996 by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act instituted under President Bill Clinton. TANF evaluates a family’s available income and compares it to a need standard based on family size. There are several factors to consider when evaluating available revenue, including wages, unemployment benefits, Social Security benefits, and child support. The TANF program is more commonly referred to as welfare. Click here to see Indiana’s brochure on TANF.

The TANF program has a 2014 fiscal year budget of $17,351,175,000. TANF recipients will be provided with cash assistance and supportive assistance that includes: child care services, after-school child care for children age six and older, medical assistance for dependent children, transportation services, aid for heating costs, and food stamps. The program strives to ensure that families have sufficient food, medical coverage, high-quality, affordable child care, and reliable transportation that enables them to work. TANF works to accomplish these goals by:

  • Ensuring that custodial parents receive child support from noncustodial parents to pay bills and adequately provide for their children.
  • Focusing on educational and training opportunities that improve wages and working conditions for low-income families.
  • Crafting services for families with special needs or multiple employment barriers that appropriately and effectively address their needs.
  • Developing collaborative efforts to combine resources and talents to create jobs, support work, and make low-income neighborhoods more viable.

The TANF program of Indiana is available to families with children under 18 living with their parent(s) or a relative(s) who meet specific criteria. The general requirements to be eligible for TANF are as follows:

  • Must be a resident of Indiana
  • Pregnant or responsible for a child under 18 years of age
  • Have low or meager income
  • Underemployed (working for meager wages), unemployed, or about to become unemployed

Have you ever considered funding your program(s) with federal dollars? Ready to move forward with a federal grant application? Transform Consulting Group can help your organization with grant opportunities and applications. Contact us today to learn more!

Indigent families with children under 18. Through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the TANF program provides a block grant to local governments. In Indiana, the Division of Family Resources determines families’ eligibility and distributes the grant.

TANF was created in 1996 by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act instituted under President Bill Clinton. TANF evaluates a family’s available income and compares it to a need standard based on family size. There are several factors to consider when evaluating available income, including wages, unemployment benefits, Social Security benefits, and child support. The TANF program is more commonly referred to as welfare. Click here to see Indiana’s brochure on TANF.

The TANF program has a 2014 fiscal year budget of $17,351,175,000. TANF recipients will be provided with cash assistance and supportive assistance that includes: child care services, after-school child care for children age six and older, medical assistance for dependent children, transportation services, aid for heating costs, and food stamps. The program strives to ensure that families have sufficient food, medical coverage, high-quality, affordable child care, and reliable transportation that enables them to work. TANF works to accomplish these goals by:

  • Ensuring that custodial parents receive child support from noncustodial parents to pay bills and adequately provide for their children.
  • Focusing on educational and training opportunities that improve wages and working conditions for low-income families.
  • Crafting services for families with special needs or multiple employment barriers that appropriately and effectively address their needs.
  • Developing collaborative efforts to combine resources and talents to create jobs, support work, and make low-income neighborhoods more viable.

The TANF program of Indiana is available to families with children under 18 living with their parent(s) or a relative(s) who meet specific criteria. The general requirements to be eligible for TANF are as follows:

  • Must be a resident of Indiana
  • Pregnant or responsible for a child under 18 years of age
  • Have low or meager income
  • Underemployed (working for meager wages), unemployed, or about to become unemployed

Have you ever considered funding your program(s) with federal dollars? Ready to move forward with a federal grant application? Transform Consulting Group can help your organization with grant opportunities and applications. Contact us today to learn more!

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