This video from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Center shows how the data center provides critical information about children and families to stakeholders, including federal and state legislators, advocates, activists, journalists, and community members. The data can be sorted by state, county, city, congressional district, school district, and nationwide. The KIDS COUNT Data Center empowers its users to make a difference in the lives of families and children across the country.

This report from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation describes the programmatic factors within the current TANF environment that may influence the numbers of work-eligible individuals or families with zero reported hours of participation. Additionally, the report highlights promising strategies used by state and local TANF agencies to encourage client engagement.

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) has posted Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) caseload and application data for the fiscal year and current year of 2014. Also posted are the caseload and application data for the first quarter of fiscal year 2015.

On July 1, 2015, the National Skills Coalition (NSC) hosted this webinar focused on opportunities for integration between the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) systems. The Webinar featured national and local experts to address key principles for aligning human capital investments to produce better outcomes for individuals and local economies.

On Tuesday, March 24, 2015, the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) Technical Assistance Team conducted a webinar entitled, “Keeping the Ship Afloat: Reducing Staff Turnover and Building Stability Systems.” The webinar provided context, challenges, and solutions associated with retaining staff and managing transitions. Featured speakers discussed promising practices and lessons learned from research and a veteran program with extensive experience. HMRF also released a factsheet that highlights effective strategies programs can use to retain staff and maintain services during staff transitions. Additionally, a supplemental checklist provides tools to manage and maintain staff commitment to the program.

This post from a TANF program specialist at the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) describes OFA’s efforts in improving TANF programs across the country. To share ideas about improving case management, integrating two-generation approaches, engaging workforce partners, and enhancing training, OFA has launched a national policy academy. The first groups to enter the academy are Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, North Carolina, Ramsey County (Minnesota), Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.

As part of Policy Futures, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) examines what works in terms of federal and state policies and programs to reduce poverty and promote opportunity for low-income populations. This resource synthesizes the findings of poverty researchers around the country on program effectiveness. This effort seeks to inform discussions about new investments in poverty reduction programs, as well as reforms of existing programs.

This series of policy briefs focuses on three basic TANF components: cash assistance, block grants, and work participation rates. The briefs, geared toward policymakers, practitioners, and advocates within all levels of government, explain the components and describe the changes and adaptations to TANF since its inception in 1996.

The belief that those who work hard can achieve success has made Americans more tolerant of inequality than citizens in other advanced nations. However, to succeed, Americans need the opportunity to get ahead. In a report from the Brookings Institution and the Economic Mobility Project, Brookings Scholars Julia Isaacs, Ron Haskins, and Isabel Sawhill summarize research and present new evidence regarding the extent of intergenerational economic mobility in the U.S. and the factors that impact it.