Federal TANF Policy

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Policy Basics
Policy Basics: An Introduction to TANF
August 15, 2018
Report
House Bill to Reauthorize TANF Makes Improvements But Doesn’t Go Far Enough
May 23, 2018 LaDonna Pavetti, Ph.D. Liz Schott
Report
Chart Book: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
August 16, 2017
Blog
President Trump’s Budget Cuts TANF Despite Stated Goal to Reduce Poverty, Boost Work
May 24, 2017 Tazra Mitchell
Report
TANF at 20: Time to Create a Program that Supports Work and Helps Families Meet Their Basic Needs
August 15, 2016 LaDonna Pavetti, Ph.D. Liz Schott
Report
How States Use Federal and State Funds Under the TANF Block Grant
October 15, 2015 Liz Schott LaDonna Pavetti, Ph.D. Ife Floyd
Policy Basics
President Clinton and Congress created Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) through the 1996 welfare law in an effort to “end welfare as we know it.”

TANF reaches many fewer families than it used to, and TANF benefits have lost a fifth of their value since 1996 in most states, making it very hard for families to meet basic needs. We work to strengthen TANF’s employment and safety net features.

Policy Basics: An Introduction to TANF