The U.S. Government Accountability Office published this report on the TANF program. Currently, there are questions about the strength and breadth of the TANF safety net. Many eligible families are not receiving TANF cash assistance. Regarding…

From Georgetown University's Center for Education and the Workforce, this report highlights the importance of certificates for workers in the labor market. Specifically, certificates recognize completion of a course of study in a specific field.…

From the Urban Institute, this issue brief is part of the Perspectives on Low-Income Working Families series. Author Sheila R. Zedlewski discusses lessons learned since the welfare reform of 1996, which changed welfare from an entitlement program…

The National Center for Children in Poverty released a policy report offering a summary of the various approaches States are taking or propose to take to balance their budget. The report highlights revenue and spending side approaches that are…

On March 13-14, 2012, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) convened the Promising Pathways Initiative Innovation Institute in Washington, DC. The Promising Pathways Initiative provides technical assistance to state and local TANF programs and…

From the Lumina Foundation, this video clip provides information on a public-private partnership in Louisville, Kentucky. The partnership has set a goal of adding 55,000 bachelors and associate degrees by the year 2020. The partnership is a…

This report describes work in Connecticut, Indiana, South Carolina, and Wisconsin to link Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) with other administrative data for operational and research purposes. The report describes the agencies and…

In this report from Ascend at the Aspen Institute, the authors outline the emerging case for two-generation approaches to moving parents and families toward economic security. The report outlines key trends and data that are prompting the need for…

This Portfolio of Research in Welfare and Family Self-Sufficiency describes the major research projects of the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation’s Division of Economic Independence. The Portfolio is divided into four sections – TANF and…

Many State TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) programs identify literacy services as a critical program component to provide participants. However, as most States experience budget shortfalls and are pressured to focus on job placement…