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Income Security

TANF in the States Federal TANF Policy TANF Work Programs

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Policy Basics

President Clinton and Congress created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in 1996 in an effort to “end welfare as we know it.”

TANF reaches many fewer families than it used to, and states are increasingly using federal and state TANF dollars for programs and services that do not target the families with the lowest incomes. Also, TANF benefits have lost one-fifth of their value since 1996 in most states. We analyze how federal TANF policies affect states and explore ways that federal policymakers can improve the program to better serve families living below the poverty line.

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A State-by-State Look at TANF
This interactive map provides a wealth of information on state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, which  have weakened significantly as a safety net since TANF’s creation in...

2009 Recovery Act Kept Millions out of Poverty
The Washington Post points out that the 2009 Recovery Act, signed five years ago yesterday, accomplished much more than its critics acknowledge.  When it comes to using the safety net to keep...

New Evidence That Subsidized Jobs Programs Work

Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia used $1.3 billion from the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Emergency Fund to place more than 260,000 low-income adults and youth in...
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