For Tribal communities working to strengthen child welfare services, understanding how to access and use federal funding can be an important part of building long-term capacity. This webinar PowerPoint from the National Tribal Child Welfare Center for Innovation and Advancement explains three pathways Tribes can use to access Title IV-E funding: operating a direct Title IV-E program, developing a Tribal-State agreement, or working through a Tribal-State contract. Title IV-E can help support costs related to foster care, adoption and guardianship assistance, training, administration, and prevention services.

For Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, the resource is useful for understanding how child welfare and economic support systems can intersect for families. It also offers a practical way to think about which funding and partnership approach may best fit their community’s existing capacity and goals. The discussion of Tribal-State agreements is particularly helpful for TANF programs interested in building administrative systems, strengthening culturally responsive services, and moving toward greater control over child welfare programs. Rather than simply describing federal funding, the resource helps practitioners consider how different funding arrangements can support stronger systems and better align services with the needs and priorities of Tribal families.

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards make it possible for people receiving benefits to access assistance when and where they need it, including when they are temporarily outside their home state. At the same time, long-term out-of-state EBT activity can raise questions about whether a household has moved and may be receiving benefits from more than one state. The Closing Long-term Out-of-State EBT (CLOSE) guidance by the Office of Family Assistance gives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other assistance programs a structured approach for identifying and addressing these situations while strengthening program integrity.

TANF practitioners must balance two priorities: protecting public resources and making sure eligible families do not lose access to benefits because of a misunderstanding or temporary travel. The guidance can help TANF programs and their partnering agencies establish clearer processes for reviewing extended out-of-state EBT use, determining when additional information is needed, and taking appropriate action. For TANF programs, it offers best practices for improving fraud prevention and case management while creating a more consistent approach to a situation that can otherwise be difficult to navigate.

Young adults ages 18 to 29 are often expected to make major decisions about work, education, housing, and relationships while they are still figuring out what they want their lives to look like. This Annie E. Casey Foundation podcast introduces the idea of “emerging adulthood” and explores why the transition from adolescence to adulthood can take longer and be more complicated than it was for previous generations. It highlights the importance of affordable education and training, supportive adults, career opportunities, and strong connections to community.

This resource can provide perspective for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners supporting young adults as they pursue education, employment, and greater financial independence. Rather than viewing a young person’s uncertainty or changes in direction as a lack of motivation, TANF practitioners can use the resource to better understand this stage of development and consider what types of support may help. The podcast reinforces the value of mentors, career pathways, training opportunities, and trusted relationships—resources that can help young TANF participants build confidence and move toward lasting economic stability.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly finding its way into government programs and everyday agency work, but many public agencies are still figuring out how to use these tools responsibly. Govloop will host a webinar on August 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss a key challenge for government leaders: how to benefit from AI while protecting sensitive information, maintaining security, and preserving public trust.

This webinar will focus on that challenge and will help leaders think through what responsible AI use looks like in practice. It will highlight concerns like “shadow AI,” where staff may use AI tools without clear guidance or oversight, and will emphasize the importance of simple, practical rules so agencies know how AI is being used across their systems.

For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this resource is especially important because TANF programs collect sensitive personal and financial information to make decisions that directly affect families’ stability. The webinar may help staff and leaders start conversations about when AI might be helpful, what safeguards need to be in place, and how to ensure decisions remain fair, transparent, and accountable. It can provide support for TANF agencies in exploring innovation in a thoughtful way—so new tools improve service delivery without putting client trust, privacy, or program integrity at risk.

Every interaction with a participant is an opportunity to build trust. GovLoop will host a webinar on August 10, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET to discuss practical strategies for responding to difficult customer experiences with empathy, clear communication, and a focus on problem-solving. The session will highlight how organizations can turn challenging situations into opportunities to strengthen relationships, improve service delivery, and increase customer satisfaction. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners can apply these approaches to enhance participant engagement, resolve concerns more effectively, and create a more positive experience for the individuals and families they serve.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly common tool in workforce services, but knowing when and how to use it effectively is key. This MDRC resource shares lessons from an evaluation of an AI-powered career coaching tool and offers practical guidance on how AI can best support job seekers. The findings highlight how AI can help with early career exploration while reinforcing the importance of personalized support from workforce professionals. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners can use these insights to thoughtfully incorporate AI into employment services, helping participants explore career pathways, training opportunities, and job options while ensuring they receive the guidance needed to make informed decisions.

The Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) helps states improve program integrity by securely comparing public assistance data across state lines. This Administration for Children and Families resource provides a sample Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines how state public assistance agencies can participate in interstate data matching and establish a framework for sharing information while protecting privacy. TANF administrators and program staff can use this MOU template to better understand how interstate data matching supports accurate eligibility determinations, reduces duplicate participation across states, and helps ensure public assistance benefits are administered efficiently and responsibly.

In August 2026, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Department of the Treasury jointly released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to help states, territories, and Tribes establish and administer Fostering the Future Accounts. 

New FAQ highlights include:  

• Establishing and administering Fostering the Future Accounts; 
• Available funding sources, including federal funds and private contributions; and 
• Fostering the Future Accounts eligibility, management, transfer, and withdrawal considerations. 

To further support implementation, ACF launched the National Fostering the Future Accounts Advancement Center to provide technical assistance tailored to the needs of states, territories, and Tribes. 

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is seeking input on the use of research from a range of audiences working in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or related family self-sufficiency programs. TANF and other human services providers, technical assistance providers, researchers, research funders, and others that use or may use ACF-sponsored research are invited to participate in a survey. This survey is part of a project that aims to understand how ACF-sponsored research can better support your work and improve outcomes for people and families with low incomes. 

ACF invites you to take the 15-minute survey to share your insights about:  

• What type of research is helpful or important to you; 
• How you use research findings or information; or 
• What would make ACF research more useful for your work. 

The survey will be open until Tuesday, August 25, 2026.  

Kin caregivers often step in unexpectedly to care for children and may not realize they are eligible for support. This Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network fact sheet explains how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) can help relatives raising children by providing financial assistance and connecting families with additional services. TANF practitioners can use this resource to better inform kin caregivers about available supports, answer common questions, and ensure families receive the assistance they need. This fact sheet can also be a useful tool for expanding awareness of TANF and helping caregivers access resources that promote stability for the children in their care.