TANF

Glossary of Terms Related to TANF

AFDC: Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was a program jointly financed by the federal and state government to provide cash assistance to needy families with children. The program ran from 1935 to 1995, and replaced by TANF in 1996.

ARRA: The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was legislated in 2009 to provide emergency support during the 2008-09 recession.

TANF Tested: Lives of Families in Poverty during the Recession

See the results of NETWORK's study on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and reflect on the lives of families in poverty during the recession. Read more

National Catholic Reporter on NETWORK's TANF Report

Network, the Catholic social justice lobby in Washington, has been monitoring the effectiveness of the so-called "welfare-to-work" laws since Bill Clinton made welfare reform a keystone of his presidency in 1996. Network recently released its latest evaluation and found that in today's economic climate, the programs are severely lacking. Read more

Blog: NETWORK Briefing a Successful Contribution to the TANF Conversation

Jul 20, 2010 | By Amy Johnson, Emerson Hunger Fellow

Yesterday, NETWORK hosted a briefing on the release of our report, TANF Tested: the Lives of Families in Poverty during the Recession. Read more

Catholic Social Justice Lobby Releases New Data on Poverty during the Economic Downturn

Washington DC: NETWORK today released its new report on how people in poverty have been affected by the recession and high unemployment. Read more

NETWORK Briefing on Our New Report - "TANF Tested: Lives of Families in Poverty during the Recession"

Learn about how people in extreme poverty are affected by the current economic downturn. Read more

TANF and Non-custodial Fathers

The results from NETWORK’s 2010 survey project emphasized the prevalence of families headed by single parents, mainly women, who experience economic hardship. These findings from our sample correlate with the greater U.S. population, as it is estimated that over 24 million children live in households without their biological fathers (U.S. Census Bureau). This translates to one in three children in America.

TANF and Child Care Subsidies

Child care subsidies have been critical for families who receive TANF benefits, especially as they transition off of TANF and into employment. With the emphasis on Welfare-to-work under the changes in legislation in 1996, families need the support of child care in order to ensure that their children are being looked after while working. Subsidies also boost opportunities for families to seek child care programs that they believe are safe and provide educational opportunities for their children.

TANF - State Differences

Under the new block grant system, states receive federal funds and match this amount with state funds to use as they see fit to meet the objectives of TANF in varying manners. In order to continue receipt of funds, states must demonstrate a Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Requirement, in which each state matches the federal funds provided for services that must fall into one of the four objectives stated above for eligible families.

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