The 2026 National Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Institute will bring together Tribal TANF leaders, practitioners, and partners to share strategies, innovations, and lessons learned from across Tribal communities. The University of California Davis will host this event on July 14 and 15, 2026 in Sacramento, California to offer an opportunity for Tribal TANF programs to learn from peers, explore emerging approaches, and strengthen networks that support their communities. Sessions will focus on practical solutions, program improvement, and culturally grounded practices that help communities address employment, family stability, and economic mobility. For Tribal TANF practitioners, the institute provides a space to exchange ideas, discover new resources, and build connections that can support ongoing program development. There is a registration fee for participation.

The National Tribal TANF Institute brought together Tribal TANF staff from across the country for an in-person educational experience in July 2025 in Davis, California. The theme, “Twenty Years of Tradition: Celebrating Today and Tomorrow Together,” emphasized the importance of honoring tribal values, cultures and traditions while also embracing new ideas, practices and innovations to make native communities stronger for future generations. Participants explored programs, opportunities and resources for tribal youth and young adults to help them transition into thriving adulthood.

The 45th National Indian and Native American Employment and Training (NINAETC) for WIOA Section 166 and Public Law 102-477 took place in Providence, Rhode Island in May 2025. This conference was dedicated to promoting heritage and culture.

Dream the Impossible Native Youth Conference was started in 2007 by several Southern California tribes in partnership with organizations such as the California Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program and is held at a different university each year. This conference is designed to inspire Native American youth to believe that they can achieve anything they want, introduce them to Native professionals in different fields, and help them understand how higher education can transform their lives.

The 2025 conference took place in April 2025 at the California State University, San Bernardino campus.

The Department of Labor, Indian and Native American Programs Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) 166/477 Western Regional Training was hosted in Washington in November 2024. Themed, “Indigenous: Values, Strength, Knowledge.,” this training was designed for both tribes and urban based programs focusing on workforce development for Indian Country.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance hosted the National Tribal Technical Assistance Meeting in Sacramento, California on June 4 and 5, 2024. Themed “Indigenized by Design: Centering Culture and Building Connections to Better Serve Families,” this meeting brought together over 140 Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Federal representatives, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to share strategies for amplifying Indigenous culture within the context of TANF and Native Employment Works programs while ensuring compliance with federal rules and guidelines to better address the needs of Native families and communities. Over the course of the meeting, participants attended presentations from experts and program administrators, participated in topical table discussions, and facilitated audience-centered conversations.

The National Tribal TANF Institute brought together Tribal TANF staff from across the country for an in-person educational experience in July 2024 in Davis, California. The theme, “Forever Native: Preserving Our Culture for the Next Generation,” emphasized the importance of honoring tribal values, cultures and traditions while also embracing new ideas, practices and innovations to make native communities stronger for future generations. Participants explored programs, opportunities and resources for tribal youth and young adults to help them transition into thriving adulthood.