Considerations for Starting a Tribal TANF Program: Community Assessment and Planning Tool

The OFA Peer TA Network developed Tribal TANF Community Assessment and Planning Tool is intended for federally recognized Indian Tribes interested in starting a Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The Assessment is a practical tool designed to help Tribal community members consider critical issues, build a profile of their community, and outline any strengths to be leveraged or needs to be addressed prior to developing a Tribal TANF Letter of Intent (LOI) and plan. The Tool is intended for Tribes’ internal use only, and includes detailed questions regarding demographics, employment and training activities, partnership opportunities, Tribe infrastructure, and staff capacity. The Tool can be used to outline the Tribe’s current situation and highlight any gaps to address prior to developing a Tribal TANF LOI and future plan. The Tool also provides space for goal setting, which should be aimed at addressing identified gaps or needs; this process is essential for successful program development and implementation. The Tool is available in Word format and can be completed in paper or electronic form.