On Wednesday, September 13th from 2:00-3:30 p.m. EDT, the Office of Family Assistance hosted the second webinar in our series on helping TANF clients develop social capital. The first webinar in the series was held in April 2016 and may be viewed by using this link. The webinar series emphasizes the importance of building social connections and relationships that can enhance economic well-being among low-income families. Research has demonstrated that social capital provides valuable assets for families as they move out of poverty. This webinar offered an opportunity to hear the latest ideas, models, and practices around the development of social capital among low-income families. It featured three programs with experience implementing and developing social capital with low income families as they move toward employment and self-sufficiency. 

This Office of Family Assistance webpage is a directory of free resources available for Temporary Assistance for Needy (TANF) block grant programs and other federal workforce development programs. This 2025 edition of the Catalog includes 24 identified toolkits that were published by federal agencies, state agencies, research organizations, and workforce stakeholders. Each featured resource aligns with ACF priorities and uplifts the presidential administration’s streamlining of fragmented workforce development programs that have been historically too disconnected from propelling workers into secure, well-paying, and high-need American jobs. They include information on collaborating with employers, strengthening registered apprenticeship programs, linking community college or job training into sequential credentials, starting a Career Pathways initiative, and engaging state, local, and county partners.

The Office of Management and Budget information collection outlines how states are required to collect and report work participation data. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families practitioners, the work participation rate is more than a reporting requirement; it shapes how program performance is measured and understood at the federal level. These resources can help staff understand what data matters, why accuracy is critical, and how reporting practices influence funding accountability and program evaluation. The collection is particularly relevant for teams responsible for data systems, reporting, and program integrity.

The Workforce Pell initiative expands federal Pell Grant eligibility to certain short-term training programs, creating new opportunities for individuals seeking credentials that can lead to employment in high-demand industries. As states and training providers begin implementing the program, understanding how Workforce Pell will operate is essential for workforce and human services professionals.

This Jobs for the Future roadmap provides a practical overview of Workforce Pell, including eligibility requirements, the role states play in approving programs, and key implementation considerations. It also highlights the challenges states and institutions may face as they build the systems needed to support eligible nondegree credential programs.

For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, the Workforce Pell has potential to increase access to financial aid for participants pursuing short-term training that aligns with employment goals. This resource can help TANF programs understand emerging opportunities, identify eligible training pathways, and prepare to connect participants with programs as they become available.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on the modernization of CareerOneStop and O*NET, two key workforce information resources used by job seekers, workforce professionals, and employment service providers nationwide. The effort is intended to improve access to career exploration, training, labor market information, and employment resources through a more user-friendly, mobile-accessible platform with enhanced functionality.

DOL is specifically seeking feedback from workforce practitioners, state and local workforce agencies, and other stakeholders on how these tools can better support frontline service delivery, reflect regional labor market needs, and improve the user experience for job seekers. For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners, this RFI is an opportunity to share insights on how clients with employment barriers interact with career and workforce information systems and identify enhancements that could strengthen case management and employment outcomes. Comments will be accepted through August 10, 2026.

This Congressional Research Service issue brief explains the structure and intent of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work requirements and how they function within the broader program design. For TANF staff, this resource helps connect policy intent with day-to-day practice by clarifying what federal expectations are trying to achieve and how states have flexibility in implementation. This resource can be useful in training new staff or supporting policy discussions where programs are considering adjustments to work participation strategies or engagement approaches.

As states continue to examine how public assistance programs support employment and self-sufficiency, understanding existing work requirement policies is critical. This Congressional Research Service report provides a detailed look at how work requirements are structured across Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), housing assistance programs, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), helping practitioners understand the broader policy landscape that affects the families they serve.

For TANF programs, this report can support policy planning, staff training, and collaboration with partner agencies. It helps TANF practitioners identify similarities and differences across programs, anticipate how policy changes may affect participants, and develop strategies to reduce administrative burden for families who are managing multiple benefit programs at once.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs often serve families who are participating in multiple public benefit programs at the same time. Understanding how work requirements differ across programs can help staff provide more accurate guidance and reduce confusion for participants. This Congressional Research Service issue brief offers a side-by-side overview of work requirements in TANF, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and rental assistance programs, making it easier to see where rules align and where they differ.

TANF administrators, case managers, and workforce staff can use this brief to strengthen cross-program coordination, improve participant communication, and help families navigate multiple requirements. It is especially useful for identifying potential challenges that may arise when families are working toward employment while maintaining access to essential supports such as food, healthcare, and housing.

To increase participant engagement, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs must create and offer programming that reflects community needs. This Chapin Hall resources describes how New Mexico strengthened their vital services across the state by drawing on local input. Researchers from Chapin Hall and the Anna, Age Eight Institute conducted town halls and focus groups in seven counties with providers and residents to gather firsthand accounts of barriers preventing families from accessing medical care, childcare, housing, food, transportation, and behavioral health services. Residents described systems that were fragmented, under-resourced, and difficult to navigate, and reported staff interactions that increased their feelings of shame and stigma while seeking help. For TANF practitioners, this report is both a mirror and a roadmap. It reflects what families across the country commonly experience, and it offers concrete, community-generated solutions. It is also a strong model for how to conduct meaningful community listening, a skill all TANF program staff can use as they work to improve client engagement and outcomes.

The core mission of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is helping families reach self-sufficiency, but that goal is much harder when a parent is trying to go to school, raise children, and hold a job at the same time, all without reliable childcare or transportation. A two-generation (2Gen) approach tries to solve for the whole family at once by supporting parents' education and careers while investing in children's development. This report from Jobs for the Future examines Rising Futures Maine, an initiative that invests in community-based organizations as local 2Gen leaders that connect student parents to education and career pathways. The work spans three counties and includes models focused on cohort-based coaching, barrier removal, industry credentials, and even a father-focused pilot addressing long-standing gaps in engaging noncustodial parents. For TANF practitioners, this resource looks at what it takes, operationally and relationally, to support parents as both caregivers and students. The recommendations the report offers on sustaining funding, protecting income supports, and using data on student parents are directly applicable to how TANF programs are designed and prioritized.