TANF participants in Utah are moving from poverty to earning incomes at or above 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) through a social capital-building strategy. Implemented by the Utah Department of Workforce Services through partnerships with community action agencies, the Circles program matches TANF participants with community volunteers in a long-term weekly support group. With this circle of support and resources, participants are empowered to move toward employment and self-sufficiency.

This brief is part of the Emerging Practice Series of the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative, which highlights the strategies of TANF agencies and their partners to help low-income individuals gain and sustain meaningful employment. Each brief describes an emerging practice that has been implemented in one site, an overview of the program model, and the results that have been achieved. Compelling stories of participants’ success and suggestions from TANF agency staff to their peers provide actionable insights and on-the-ground perspectives.

This California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation guide provides practical tips for couples on managing money together. It covers how to communicate about finances, set shared goals, create a budget, and decide whether to combine or separate accounts. TANF programs can share this resource with participants to help strengthen financial communication, planning, and teamwork in households to support family stability and long-term economic security.

These episodes from the Made for Love podcast explore how faith and financial decision‑making intersect: from personal money management to how couples and families navigate budgeting, communication, and shared goals through a spiritual lens. Part 1 focuses on the role of faith in financial perspectives and habits, while Part 2 connects that conversation to family life and long‑term planning.

For TANF programs partnering with faith‑ and community‑based organizations, these discussions can be great conversation starters or supplemental content for financial coaching, workshops, or support groups. Sharing them with participants who value faith‑based insights can deepen engagement around budgeting, planning, and family goal‑setting in ways that resonate with their values and community supports.

This resource shares ten principles for managing money in marriage, covering topics like communication, shared goal-setting, debt management, and long-term financial planning. TANF programs can partner with faith- and community-based organizations to use these principles in workshops or coaching sessions, helping participants explore values-driven financial practices while strengthening family stability. By integrating faith-informed guidance with TANF services, programs can offer participants practical tools for budgeting, planning, and shared decision-making in ways that resonate with their beliefs and community supports.

This companion guide to Your Money, Your Goals offers financial tools and approaches tailored for Native communities. Created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, it highlights strengths, values, and financial practices rooted in Indigenous cultures while offering practical worksheets on budgeting, planning, savings, and goal setting. For Tribal TANF or TANF programs working with Native participants and families, this guide can help make financial education more relevant used one on one in case management or shared in group workshops.

This website is a free financial empowerment toolkit from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau designed to help frontline staff talk about money with the people they serve and support their meaningful financial progress. It includes 40+ practical tools and handouts on budgeting, tracking income and benefits, managing debt, understanding credit, choosing financial products, and protecting money from scams. TANF programs can share these easy‑to‑use worksheets and guides with participants or integrate them into case management and coaching to help people set financial goals, make smart money decisions, and build stability on their path to long‑term economic security.

This free financial education resource from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas offers straightforward, beginner‑level guidance on building personal financial stability and wealth. The guide walks through key topics like setting goals, creating a budget, saving and investing, managing debt, building credit, and protecting earnings — all framed in an approachable way for individuals and families. TANF programs can share this with participants as a practical tool for strengthening financial confidence and planning and building habits that support long‑term economic security.

This tipsheet provides examples of strategies that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs can use to support family economic security by helping TANF recipients make intentional and healthy decisions about their families. An unintended pregnancy can make it harder for TANF participants to improve their economic well-being and independence. Family-centered services, such as employment coaching, home visiting, mentoring, and access to family planning services, can support TANF participants in making intentional and healthy choices for their families.

This tipsheet provides examples of strategies that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs can use to empower parents to make informed decisions about their family planning through financial capability services. An unintended pregnancy may make it harder for TANF participants to improve their economic well-being and independence. Financial capability services such as financial planning classes and integrating financial planning into relationship education for families can support TANF participants in making stronger financial choices for their families, including whether to have another child.

This Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation webpage provides games, a glossary, and resources to teach people of all ages about money and increase financial literacy. It contains additional resources and tools on how to build a financial future, build and maintain good credit, and manage debt.