How the TANF Block Grant Falls Short:
Spending, Benefits and Reaching People in Need

States’ experience with TANF provides strong evidence that punitive work requirements and block granting exacerbate deep poverty and should not be extended to other programs.

The funds’ diminished value and broadened dispersal have left states with fewer resources to serve needy families.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the primary cash assistance program for families living in poverty, can play a key role in ensuring that families struggling to make ends meet have...