Evidence-Driven Support: An Effective Approach to Improve TANF and Related Programs

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is consistently seeking to improve training and technical assistance (TTA) for state, local, and Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and related programs that seek to use and build evidence to create more impactful and equitable programs. TANF and related programs that use and build evidence to guide decisions can achieve more efficient, equitable services and better outcomes for their participants. To use and build evidence effectively, TANF and related programs need the right kind of support. Evidence-driven support helps programs use evidence to inform decisions. And when evidence does not yet exist, it provides programs with skills and tools to use analytic methods to develop, test, and refine program changes—that is, to build evidence!

This Project IMPROVE working brief describes core components of evidence-driven support, including how it works and how it builds on foundational TTA activities like sharing knowledge and fostering connections. A finalized brief will be shared in the coming months.