The Temporary Assistance for
December 7, 2022
Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant:
Gene Falk
Responses to Frequently Asked Questions
Specialist in Social Policy

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds a wide range of
Patrick A. Landers
benefits and services for low-income families with children. TANF was created in the Personal
Analyst in Social Policy
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193). This report responds to some

frequently asked questions about TANF; it does not describe TANF rules (see, instead, CRS
Report RL32748, The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: A Primer
For a copy of the full report,
on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements, by Gene Falk).
please call 7-5700 or visit
www.crs.gov.
TANF Funding and Expenditures
TANF provides fixed funding for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands), and American Indian tribes. The basic block grant totals $16.5 billion per year. States are also required to contribute,
from their own funds, under a maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirement. Both the basic block grant and the required MOE
spending are based on expenditures in pre-TANF programs in the early- to mid-1990s.
The basic block grant and required spending under the MOE are not adjusted for changes in circumstances (e.g., inflation,
population) over time. Adjusted for inflation, in FY2022, the TANF basic block grant was 45% below what its value was in
FY1997. The MOE requirements have also not been adjusted for inflation.
Though TANF is best known for funding basic assistance payments for needy families with children, the block grant and
MOE funds are used for a wide variety of benefits and activities. In FY2020, expenditures on basic assistance totaled $7.1
billion—22% of total federal TANF and MOE dollars. Basic assistance is often—but not exclusively—paid as cash and on an
ongoing basis (monthly). In addition to funding basic assistance, TANF also contributes funds for child care, employment
services (for both assistance recipients and others), state refundable tax credits for low-income families, pre-kindergarten and
Head Start programs, and services for children who have been, or are at risk of being, abused and neglected.
The TANF Assistance Caseload
A total of 0.9 million families, composed of 2.5 million recipients, received TANF- or MOE-funded assistance in March
2022. The bulk of the recipients were children—1.8 million in that month.
Assistance Benefits
TANF assistance benefit amounts are set by states. In July 2020, the maximum monthly benefit for a family of two (single
parent and one child) ranged from $862 in New Hampshire to $146 in Mississippi. Only New Hampshire (at 60% of the
federal poverty level) had a maximum TANF assistance amount for this sized family in excess of 50% of poverty-level
income.
Work Requirements
TANF’s main federal work requirement is a performance measure that applies to the states. States determine the work rules
that apply to individual recipients. TANF law requires states to engage 50% of all families and 90% of two-parent families
with work-eligible individuals in work activities, though these standards can be reduced by “credits.” Therefore, the effective
standards states face are often less than the 50% or 90% targets, and vary by state. In FY2021, states achieved, on average, an
all-family participation rate of 33.6% and a two-parent rate of 37.9%.
In FY2021, Florida, Maryland, and Oregon did not meet their all-family participation standard. California, Florida, Guam,
Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wyoming did not meet their two-parent
participation standard. Jurisdictions that did not meet their standards are at risk of being penalized through a reduction in their
block grants, though they may either enter into a corrective compliance plan or claim good cause to avoid the penalty.
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Introduction
This report provides responses to frequently asked questions about the Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF) block grant. It is intended to serve as a quick reference to provide easy
access to information and data. Appendix A provides additional data on families receiving TANF
assistance over time. Appendix B presents a series of tables with state-level data on TANF
expenditures and families receiving assistance.
This report does not provide information on TANF program rules (for a discussion of TANF
rules, see CRS Report RL32748, The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block
Grant: A Primer on TANF Financing and Federal Requirements, by Gene Falk).
Funding and Expenditures
What Is TANF’s Funding Status?
The FY2023 Continuing Appropriation and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations (P.L. 117-180),
enacted September 30, 2022, funds TANF through December 16, 2022.1
How Are State TANF Programs Funded?
TANF programs are funded through a combination of federal and state funds. TANF has two
federal grants to states. The bulk of the TANF funding is in a basic block grant to the states,
totaling $16.5 billion for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin
Islands, and American Indian tribes.2 There is also a contingency fund available that provides
extra federal funds to states that meet certain conditions.
Additionally, states are required to expend a minimum amount of their own funds for TANF and
TANF-related activities under what is known as the maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement.
States are required to spend a minimum of at least 80% of what they spent in FY1994 on TANF’s
predecessor programs. The MOE spending requirement is reduced in states that met their work
participation standards to 75% of what a state spent in FY1994.
How Much Has the Value of the TANF Basic Block Grant Changed
Over Time?
TANF was created by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
1996 (PRWORA, P.L. 104-193). A TANF basic block grant amount—both nationally and for each
state—was established in the 1996 law. That amount for the 50 states, District of Columbia,
territories, and tribes was $16.6 billion in total. From FY1997 through FY2016, that amount
remained the same. The basic block grant was not adjusted for changes that occur over time, such
as inflation, the size of the TANF assistance caseload, or changes in the poverty population.
During this period, the real (inflation-adjusted) value of the block grant declined by one-third
(33.1%). Beginning with FY2017, the state family assistance grant was reduced by 0.33% from

1 Section 150 of P.L. 117-180.
2 American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands do not operate TANF programs. The
former is eligible but does not operate programs; the latter is ineligible for TANF funds.
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its historical levels to finance TANF-related research and technical assistance. The reduced block
grant amount is $16.5 billion.
Table 1 shows the state family assistance grant, in both nominal (actual) and constant 1997
(inflation-adjusted) dollars for each year, FY1997 through FY2022. In inflation-adjusted terms,
the FY2022 block grant was 45% below its value in FY1997.
Table 1. TANF Basic Block Grant Funding in Nominal and Constant Dollars
($ in billions)
State Family
Cumulative
State Family
Assistance
Percent Change
Assistance Grant: 50
Grant
Since FY1997,
States, DC, Tribes,
Constant
Constant 1997
Fiscal Year
and Territories
1997 Dollars
Dollars

1997
$16.567
$16.567
1998
16.567
16.306
-1.6%
1999
16.567
15.991
-3.5
2000
16.567
15.498
-6.5
2001
16.567
15.020
-9.3
2002
16.567
14.792
-10.7
2003
16.567
14.456
-12.7
2004
16.567
14.124
-14.7
2005
16.567
13.680
-17.4
2006
16.567
13.190
-20.4
2007
16.567
12.893
-22.2
2008
16.567
12.345
-25.5
2009
16.567
12.382
-25.3
2010
16.567
12.182
-26.5
2011
16.567
11.859
-28.4
2012
16.567
11.585
-30.1
2013
16.567
11.394
-31.2
2014
16.567
11.217
-32.3
2015
16.567
11.179
-32.5
2016
16.567
11.082
-33.1
2017
16.512
10.820
-34.7
2018
16.512
10.564
-36.2
2019
16.512
10.372
-37.4
2020
16.512
10.224
-38.3
2021
16.512
9.893
-40.3
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State Family
Cumulative
State Family
Assistance
Percent Change
Assistance Grant: 50
Grant
Since FY1997,
States, DC, Tribes,
Constant
Constant 1997
Fiscal Year
and Territories
1997 Dollars
Dollars
2022
16.512
9.168
-44.7
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance; and the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Notes: Constant dol ars were computed using the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

How Have States Used TANF Funds?
In FY2020, a total of $31.6 billion of both federal TANF and state MOE expenditures were either
expended or transferred to other block grant programs. (This total excludes expenditures in tribal
TANF programs or those operated in the territories.) Basic assistance—ongoing benefits to
families to meet basic needs—represented 22% ($7.1 billion) of total FY2020 TANF and MOE
dollars.
TANF is a major contributor of child care funding. In FY2020, $5.2 billion (17% of all TANF and
MOE funds) were either expended on child care or transferred to the child care block grant (the
Child Care and Development Fund, or CCDF). TANF work-related activities (including education
and training) were the third-largest TANF and MOE spending category at $3.0 billion, or 10% of
total TANF and MOE funds. TANF also helps low-wage parents by helping to finance state
refundable tax credits, such as state add-ons to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). TANF and
MOE expenditures on refundable tax credits in FY2020 totaled $2.8 billion, or 9% of total TANF
and MOE spending.
TANF and MOE funds also help fund state pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs, with total FY2020
expenditures for that category at $2.7 billion. TANF is also a major contributor to the child
welfare system, which provides foster care, adoption assistance, and services to families with
children who either have experienced or are at risk of experiencing child abuse or neglect,
spending about $2.6 billion on such activities. TANF and MOE funds are also used for short-term
and emergency benefits and a wide range of other social services. Figure 1 shows the uses of
federal TANF grants to states and state MOE funds in FY2020.

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Figure 1. Uses of TANF Funds by Spending Category, FY2020
($ in billions)

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance.
Notes: Detail may not add to totals because of rounding. Excludes TANF funds used in the territories and in
tribal TANF programs.

For state-specific information on the use of TANF funds, see Table B-1 and Table B-2.
How Much of the TANF Grant Has Gone Unspent?
TANF law permits states to “reserve” unused funds without time limit. This permits flexibility in
timing of the use of TANF funds, including the ability to “save” funds for unexpected
occurrences that might increase costs (such as recessions or natural disasters).
At the end of FY2020 (September 30, 2020), a total of $6.0 billion of federal TANF funding
remained neither transferred nor spent. However, some of these unspent funds represent monies
that states had already committed to spend later. Of this amount, states had made such
commitments to spend—that is, had obligated—a total of $0.9 billion. At the end of FY2020,
states had $5.2 billion of “unobligated balances.” These funds are available to states to make new
spending commitments. Table B-3 shows unspent TANF funds by state.
The Caseload
How Many Families Receive TANF- or MOE-Funded Benefits
and Services?
This number is not known. Federal TANF reporting requirements focus on families receiving
only ongoing assistance. There is no complete reporting on families receiving other TANF
benefits and services.
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“Assistance” is defined as benefits provided to families to meet ongoing, basic needs.3 It is most
often paid in cash. However, some states use TANF or MOE funds to provide an “earnings
supplement” to working parents added to monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) allotments. These earnings supplements are paid separately from the regular TANF cash
assistance program. Additionally, TANF MOE dollars are used to fund food assistance for
immigrants barred from regular SNAP benefits in certain states. These forms of nutrition aid meet
an ongoing need, and thus are considered TANF assistance.
As discussed in a previous section of this report, TANF basic assistance accounts for about 21%
of all TANF expenditures. Therefore, the federal reporting requirements that pertain to families
receiving assistance are likely to undercount the number of families receiving any TANF-funded
benefit or service.
How Many Families and People Currently Receive TANF- or
MOE-Funded Assistance?
Table 2 provides assistance caseload information. A total of approximately 940,000 families,
composed of 2.5 million recipients, received TANF- or MOE-funded assistance in March 2022.
The bulk of the recipients were children—1.8 million in that month. For state-by-state assistance
caseloads, see Table B-4.
Table 2. Families and Recipients of TANF Assistance, March 2022
Families
939,480
Recipients
2,498,736
Children
1,808,872
Adults
689,864
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS). Data as of 3/10/22 and are subject to revision.
Notes: TANF assistance caseload includes families receiving assistance in state-funded programs counted
toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement.
How Does the Current Assistance Caseload Level Compare with
Historical Levels?
Figure 2 provides a long-term historical perspective on the number of families receiving
assistance from TANF or its predecessor program, from July 1959 to March 2022. The shaded
areas of the figure represent months when the national economy was in recession. Though the
health of the national economy has affected the trend in the cash assistance caseload, the long-
term trend in receipt of cash assistance does not follow a classic countercyclical pattern. Such a
pattern would have the caseload rise during economic slumps, and then fall again during periods
of economic growth. Factors other than the health of the economy (demographic trends, policy
changes) also have influenced the caseload trend.
The figure shows two periods of sustained caseload increases: the period from the mid-1960s to
the mid-1970s and a second period from 1988 to 1994. The number of families receiving

3 The definition of TANF assistance is not in statute. However, because the statutory language has most TANF
requirements triggered by a family receiving “assistance,” the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
regulations define assistance at 45 C.F.R. Section 260.31.
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assistance peaked in March 1994 at 5.1 million families. The assistance caseload fell rapidly in
the late 1990s, after PRWORA, before leveling off in 2001. In 2004, the caseload began another
decline, albeit at a slower pace than in the late 1990s. During the 2007-2009 recession and its
aftermath, the caseload began to rise from 1.7 million families in August 2008, peaking in
December 2010 at close to 2.0 million families. The number of families receiving assistance
declined by almost half (to a little over 1 million families) during the long economic expansion of
2010 through 2019.
During 2020, a year when the economy was affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-
19) pandemic, there was a brief uptick in the number of families receiving assistance. The
number of families receiving assistance increased in the April through June 2020 period.
However, after June 2020, the number of families receiving TANF assistance again began to
decline.4
Figure 2. Number of Families Receiving Assistance, June 1959 to March 2022

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), with data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS). Data as of 3/10/22 and are subject to revision.
Notes: Shaded areas denote months when the national economy was in recession. Information represents
families receiving cash assistance from Aid to Dependent Children (ADC), Aid to Families with Dependent
Children (AFDC), and TANF. For October 1999 through the last month shown, includes families receiving
assistance from Separate State Programs (SSPs) with expenditures countable toward the TANF maintenance of
effort requirement. See Table A-1 for average annual data on families, recipients, adult recipients, and child
recipients of ADC, AFDC, and TANF cash assistance for 1961 to 2021.

4 In 2020 and 2021, Congress enacted expansions to other programs – in particular, unemployment insurance—that
might have lessened the need for need-tested cash from TANF. See CRS Report R46687, Unemployment Insurance
(UI) Benefits: Permanent-Law Programs and the COVID-19 Pandemic Response. For estimates of the impact of the
poverty interventions in response to COVID-19’s economic downturn, see Laura Wheaton, Linda Giannarelli, and
Ilham Dehry, 2021 Poverty Projections: Assessing the Impact of Benefits and Stimulus Measures, Urban Institute, July
2021.
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Table B-5 shows recent trends in the number of cash assistance families by state.
TANF Cash Benefits: How Much Does a Family
Receive in TANF Cash Per Month?
There are no federal rules that help determine the amount of TANF cash benefits paid to a family.
(There are also no federal rules that require states to use TANF to pay cash benefits, though all
states do so.) Benefit amounts are determined solely by the states.
Most states base TANF cash benefit amounts on family size, paying larger cash benefits to larger
families on the presumption that they have greater financial needs. The maximum monthly cash
benefit is usually paid to a family that receives no other income (e.g., no earned or unearned
income) and complies with program rules. Families with income other than TANF often are paid
a reduced benefit. Moreover, some families are financially sanctioned for not meeting a program
requirement (e.g., a work requirement), and are also paid a lower benefit.
Figure 3 shows the maximum monthly TANF cash benefit by state for a single parent caring for
one child (family of two) in July 2020.5 For a family of two, the maximum TANF benefit paid in
July 2020 varied from $146 per month in Mississippi to $862 per month in New Hampshire. The
map shows a regional pattern to the maximum monthly benefit paid, with lower benefit amounts
in general in the South compared to other regions. Only New Hampshire (at 60% of the federal
poverty guidelines) had a maximum TANF cash assistance amount for this sized family in excess
of 50% of poverty-level income.

5 States are not required to report to the federal government their cash assistance benefit amounts in either the TANF
state plan (under Section 402 of the Social Security Act) or in annual program reports (under Section 411 of the Social
Security Act). The benefit amounts shown are from the “Welfare Rules Database,” maintained by the Urban Institute
and funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Some states vary their benefit amounts for other
family types such as two-parent families or “child-only” cases. States also vary their benefits by other factors such as
housing costs and substate geography.
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Figure 3. TANF Cash Assistance Maximum Monthly Benefit Amounts for a Single-
Parent Family with One Child, 50 States and the District of Columbia, July 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the Welfare Rules Database, funded by the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and maintained by the Urban Institute. The Welfare Rules
Database has information for the 50 states and District of Columbia. It does not have information on TANF
assistance programs in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands or tribal TANF programs.
Table B-6 shows these benefit amounts by state in dollars and as a percentage of the federal
poverty level (FPL).
TANF Work Participation Standards
TANF’s main federal work requirement is actually a performance measure that applies to the
states, rather than individual recipients. States determine the work rules that apply to individual
recipients.
What Is the TANF Work Participation Standard States Must Meet?
The TANF statute requires states to have 50% of their caseload meet standards of participation in
work or activities—that is, a family member must be in specified activities for a minimum
number of hours.6 There is a separate participation standard that applies to the two-parent portion
of a state’s caseload, requiring 90% of the state’s two-parent caseload to meet participation
standards.

6 Families without a work-eligible individual are excluded from the participation rate calculation. It excludes families
where the parent is a nonrecipient (for example, disabled receiving Supplemental Security Income or an ineligible
noncitizen) or the children in the family are being cared for by a nonparent relative (e.g., grandparent, aunt, uncle) who
does not receive assistance on his or her behalf.
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The statutory work participation standards are reduced by a “caseload reduction credit.” The
caseload reduction credit reduces the participation standard one percentage point for each
percentage point decline in a state’s caseload. Additionally, under a regulatory provision, a state
may get “extra” credit for caseload reduction if it spends more than required under the TANF
MOE. Therefore, the effective standards states face are often less than the 50% and 90% targets,
and vary by state and by year.
States that do not meet the TANF work participation standard are at risk of being penalized
through a reduction in their block grant. However, penalties can be forgiven if a state claims, and
the Secretary of HHS finds, that it had “reasonable cause” for not meeting the standard. Penalties
can also be forgiven for states that enter into “corrective compliance plans,” and subsequently
meet the work standard.
What Work Participation Rates Have the States Achieved?
HHS computes two work participation rates for each state that are then compared with the
effective (after-credit) standard to determine if it has met the TANF work standard. An “all-
families” work participation rate is computed and compared with the all-families effective
standard (50% minus the state’s caseload reduction credit). HHS also computes a two-parent
work participation rate that is compared with the two-parent effective standard (90% minus the
state’s caseload reduction credit).
Figure 4 shows the national average all-families work participation rate for FY2002 through
FY2021. For the period FY2002 through FY2011, states achieved an average all-families work
participation rate hovering around 30%. Then, work participation rate increased. In FY2016, it
exceeded 50% for the first time since TANF was established. However, it is important to note that
the increase in the work participation rate did not come from an increase in the number of
recipients in regular TANF assistance programs who are either working or in job preparation
activities. This increase stemmed mostly from states creating new “earnings supplement”
programs that use TANF funds to aid working parents in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) or who have left the regular TANF assistance programs
for work.
The national average TANF work participation rate for all families declined in FY2018 through
FY2021. In FY2020 and FY2021, years affected by COVID-19 and its economic fallout, the
national average all-families rate was 33.6%. In FY2020, all states met their all-families TANF
work participation standards despite this decline. However, in FY2021, Florida, Maryland, and
Oregon did not meet their “all families” work participation standard.
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Figure 4. National Average TANF Work Participation Rate for All Families,
FY2002-FY2021

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS).

In FY2021, ten jurisdictions (California, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wyoming) did not meet the separate, higher two-parent
standard. Table B-7 provides information for each jurisdiction on the TANF work standard,
caseload reduction credit, and work participation rate for all families for FY2021. Table B-8
provides that information for two-parent families. The table shows that 26 jurisdictions did not
have two-parent families receiving assistance funded by TANF or MOE funds (denoted with an
“NA” in the table).
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the ability to reduce or waive the
penalty on states for failing to meet the TANF work participation standard. HHS, under the
Trump Administration, said that it would exercise its authority to provide states with relief from
the penalty for not meeting participation standards “to the maximum extent possible.”7 HHS has
not revised this statement under the Biden Administration.

7 U.S. Department of Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance,
Questions and answers about TANF and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, TANF-ACF-Pi-2020-
01, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/resource/tanf-acf-pi-2020-01.
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Appendix A. Supplementary Tables
Table A-1. Trends in the Cash Assistance Caseload: 1961-2021

TANF Child Recipients
As a
As a
Percentage Percentage
Calendar
Families
Recipients
Adults
Children
of All
of All Poor
Year
(millions)
(millions)
(millions)
(millions)
Children
Children
1961
0.873
3.363
0.765
2.598
3.7%
14.3%
1962
0.939
3.704
0.860
2.844
4.0
15.7
1963
0.963
3.945
0.988
2.957
4.1
17.4
1964
1.010
4.195
1.050
3.145
4.3
18.6
1965
1.060
4.422
1.101
3.321
4.5
21.5
1966
1.096
4.546
1.112
3.434
4.7
26.5
1967
1.220
5.014
1.243
3.771
5.2
31.2
1968
1.410
5.702
1.429
4.274
5.9
37.8
1969
1.696
6.689
1.716
4.973
6.9
49.7
1970
2.207
8.462
2.250
6.212
8.6
57.7
1971
2.763
10.242
2.808
7.435
10.4
68.5
1972
3.048
10.944
3.039
7.905
11.1
74.9
1973
3.148
10.949
3.046
7.903
11.2
79.9
1974
3.219
10.847
3.041
7.805
11.2
75.0
1975
3.481
11.319
3.248
8.071
11.8
71.2
1976
3.565
11.284
3.302
7.982
11.8
76.2
1977
3.568
11.015
3.273
7.743
11.6
73.9
1978
3.517
10.551
3.188
7.363
11.2
72.8
1979
3.509
10.312
3.130
7.181
11.0
68.0
1980
3.712
10.774
3.355
7.419
11.5
63.2
1981
3.835
11.079
3.552
7.527
11.7
59.2
1982
3.542
10.358
3.455
6.903
10.8
49.6
1983
3.686
10.761
3.663
7.098
11.1
50.1
1984
3.714
10.831
3.687
7.144
11.2
52.3
1985
3.701
10.855
3.658
7.198
11.3
54.4
1986
3.763
11.038
3.704
7.334
11.5
56.0
1987
3.776
11.027
3.661
7.366
11.5
56.4
1988
3.749
10.915
3.586
7.329
11.4
57.8
1989
3.798
10.992
3.573
7.419
11.5
57.9
1990
4.057
11.695
3.784
7.911
12.1
57.9
1991
4.497
12.930
4.216
8.715
13.2
59.8
Congressional Research Service

11

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

TANF Child Recipients
As a
As a
Percentage Percentage
Calendar
Families
Recipients
Adults
Children
of All
of All Poor
Year
(millions)
(millions)
(millions)
(millions)
Children
Children
1992
4.829
13.773
4.470
9.303
13.9
59.9
1993
5.012
14.205
4.631
9.574
14.1
60.0
1994
5.033
14.161
4.593
9.568
13.9
61.7
1995
4.791
13.418
4.284
9.135
13.1
61.5
1996
4.434
12.321
3.928
8.600
12.3
58.7
1997
3.740
10.376
NA
NA
10.0
50.1
1998
3.050
8.347
NA
NA
8.1
42.9
1999
2.578
6.924
NA
NA
6.7
39.4
2000
2.303
6.143
1.655
4.479
6.1
38.1
2001
2.192
5.717
1.514
4.195
5.7
35.3
2002
2.187
5.609
1.479
4.119
5.6
33.6
2003
2.180
5.490
1.416
4.063
5.5
31.3
2004
2.153
5.342
1.362
3.969
5.4
30.2
2005
2.061
5.028
1.261
3.756
5.1
28.9
2006
1.906
4.582
1.120
3.453
4.6
26.7
2007
1.730
4.075
0.956
3.119
4.2
23.2
2008
1.701
4.005
0.946
3.059
4.1
21.6
2009
1.838
4.371
1.074
3.296
4.4
21.2
2010
1.919
4.598
1.163
3.435
4.6
20.9
2011
1.907
4.557
1.149
3.408
4.6
20.9
2012
1.852
4.402
1.104
3.298
4.4
20.3
2013
1.726
4.042
0.993
3.050
4.1
19.1
2014
1.650
3.957
1.007
2.950
4.0
18.9
2015
1.609
4.126
1.155
2.971
4.0
20.4
2016
1.479
3.780
1.037
2.743
3.7
20.7
2017
1.358
3.516
0.930
2.577
3.5
20.1
2018
1.196
3.150
0.833
2.317
3.2
19.5
2019
1.093
2.866
0.747
2.199
2.9
20.2
2020
1.052
2.757
0.728
2.029
2.8
17.2
2021
0.931
2.450
0.661
1.788
2.5
16.0
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Notes: NA denotes not available. During transition reporting from AFDC to TANF, caseload statistics on adult
and child recipients were not col ected. For those years, TANF children as a percent of all children and percent
of all poor children were estimated by HHS and published in Welfare Indicators and Risk Factors, Annual Report to
Congressional Research Service

12

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Congress, Table TANF 2, p. A-7. See https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/private/pdf/116161/
FINAL%20Fourteenth%20Report%20-%20FINAL%209%2022%2015.pdf. For 2019, the ratio of TANF recipient
children to all children in poverty might be overstated. This is because child poverty might have been
underestimated, as responses to the survey used to estimate poverty were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
See Jonathan Rothbaum and Adam Bee, Coronavirus Infects Surveys, Too: Nonresponse Bias During the Pandemic in
the CPS ASEC, U.S. Census Bureau, SEHSD Working Paper no. 2020-10, September 15, 2020.

Congressional Research Service

13

Appendix B. State Tables
Table B-1. Use of FY2020 TANF and MOE Funds by Category
($ in millions)
Work,
Emergency
Other
Educa-
Refundable
Pre-
and Short-
Benefits
Basic
Child
tion, and
Tax
K/Head
Child
Adminis-
Term
and
Total
State
Assistance
Care
Training
Credits
Start
Welfare
tration
Benefits
Services Spending
Alabama
$16.378
$24.228
$6.875
$0.000
$10.660
$40.010
$24.372
$46.281
$35.511
$204.316
Alaska
45.590
13.968
12.085
0.000
0.000
0.000
6.905
0.326
12.898
91.771
Arizona
45.033
0.000
0.565
0.000
0.000
238.209
18.940
9.179
43.640
355.567
Arkansas
4.257
7.798
12.439
0.000
26.742
0.913
14.984
5.902
11.093
84.129
California
2,598.201
762.874
1,574.497
0.000
0.101
0.062
549.893
261.704
955.710
6,703.043
Colorado
80.602
15.238
8.473
72.077
91.198
53.148
51.730
21.549
57.943
451.957
Connecticut
36.207
62.591
10.506
58.091
70.878
68.389
42.288
18.565
138.266
505.781
Delaware
11.544
82.878
6.475
0.000
0.000
0.000
5.367
2.433
17.632
126.329
District of Columbia
185.408
37.433
39.216
23.842
0.000
0.000
11.578
11.552
7.327
316.355
Florida
133.883
341.154
50.224
0.000
0.000
244.252
97.793
0.877
81.413
949.598
Georgia
109.858
22.183
8.286
0.000
0.000
228.090
22.445
5.799
87.628
484.290
Hawaii
38.679
9.974
41.531
0.000
0.000
1.417
15.754
7.929
105.609
220.893
Idaho
7.915
10.965
2.946
0.000
1.487
1.726
6.480
11.798
0.415
43.731
Il inois
50.912
560.158
17.587
86.933
104.551
239.565
0.000
0.879
96.901
1,157.486
Indiana
16.013
114.016
5.707
24.845
0.000
2.759
28.415
0.290
141.256
333.302
Iowa
30.373
52.604
8.490
25.390
0.000
46.660
6.518
0.347
20.756
191.137
Kansas
13.061
6.673
0.641
38.493
18.375
42.921
9.903
0.000
47.006
177.072
CRS-14

Work,
Emergency
Other
Educa-
Refundable
Pre-
and Short-
Benefits
Basic
Child
tion, and
Tax
K/Head
Child
Adminis-
Term
and
Total
State
Assistance
Care
Training
Credits
Start
Welfare
tration
Benefits
Services Spending
Kentucky
179.973
32.666
29.722
0.000
0.000
0.000
12.107
0.000
9.214
263.682
Louisiana
15.122
12.653
35.222
19.933
51.151
26.963
16.848
6.898
29.031
213.821
Maine
37.473
19.990
11.593
7.579
0.507
9.802
6.317
5.177
29.047
127.485
Maryland
153.087
5.484
30.478
154.133
76.530
29.930
23.337
27.518
44.909
545.407
Massachusetts
240.784
265.421
203.514
220.172
0.000
6.559
33.135
103.344
78.870
1,151.798
Michigan
129.478
27.019
1.958
43.518
191.413
78.645
53.354
20.648
794.532
1,340.566
Minnesota
93.963
159.106
52.951
177.877
5.700
0.000
42.407
22.554
18.005
572.564
Mississippi
4.074
1.715
22.769
0.000
0.000
21.756
9.419
0.000
17.110
76.844
Missouri
31.551
27.504
62.874
0.000
0.000
112.570
9.297
73.252
54.188
371.236
Montana
17.448
10.621
2.664
0.000
0.000
1.927
4.709
2.038
9.057
48.464
Nebraska
28.344
18.375
12.299
32.472
0.000
6.100
2.977
0.090
3.238
103.896
Nevada
33.047
13.902
1.302
0.000
0.000
28.275
9.894
8.956
18.736
114.112
New Hampshire
34.201
4.582
7.225
0.000
0.000
4.544
11.407
2.373
16.217
80.549
New Jersey
82.639
218.423
73.767
361.436
614.997
0.000
50.883
16.103
72.455
1,490.702
New Mexico
68.684
34.278
20.737
74.691
70.361
1.019
6.133
6.369
22.966
305.238
New York
1,444.193
479.272
120.136
1,296.116
496.529
348.868
431.817
212.620
330.864
5,160.413
North Carolina
34.722
226.371
4.005
0.000
92.153
135.889
43.433
3.574
44.245
584.392
North Dakota
3.857
1.239
3.915
0.000
0.000
24.228
4.941
0.079
0.926
39.184
Ohio
247.480
423.168
82.829
0.000
0.158
18.212
99.060
76.521
248.456
1,195.884
Oklahoma
19.303
59.713
9.208
0.000
0.000
13.408
8.399
0.587
34.063
144.682
Oregon
83.504
11.102
18.507
3.381
11.599
14.496
36.467
23.731
42.954
245.739
CRS-15

Work,
Emergency
Other
Educa-
Refundable
Pre-
and Short-
Benefits
Basic
Child
tion, and
Tax
K/Head
Child
Adminis-
Term
and
Total
State
Assistance
Care
Training
Credits
Start
Welfare
tration
Benefits
Services Spending
Pennsylvania
130.776
482.527
86.953
0.000
219.345
0.000
62.785
9.851
142.789
1,135.026
Rhode Island
21.679
41.607
9.897
22.214
1.190
26.256
5.141
0.000
26.679
154.664
South Carolina
48.818
4.085
8.203
0.000
27.777
5.063
18.961
0.000
53.150
166.057
South Dakota
13.022
0.803
2.798
0.000
0.000
3.494
2.205
3.792
2.823
28.937
Tennessee
23.612
57.000
23.053
0.000
83.207
0.000
32.009
0.000
2.907
221.788
Texas
45.249
0.000
85.947
0.000
339.179
377.214
68.821
4.337
63.466
984.212
Utah
17.343
22.619
14.777
0.000
12.486
1.348
6.507
1.983
19.620
96.684
Vermont
13.144
33.365
0.734
19.246
0.000
8.364
5.114
0.674
14.094
94.735
Virginia
65.836
38.566
36.533
0.186
6.635
56.980
48.434
5.392
41.402
299.964
Washington
139.722
150.607
131.210
0.000
51.343
28.400
54.971
76.080
424.139
1,056.473
West Virginia
40.212
21.096
0.587
0.000
0.000
26.446
14.834
13.620
27.733
144.529
Wisconsin
73.364
195.758
28.987
69.700
0.000
7.317
28.730
32.356
129.978
566.190
Wyoming
11.461
1.554
5.192
0.000
1.709
0.000
3.517
3.220
2.841
29.494
Totals
7,051.079
5,226.926
3,049.091
2,832.324 2,677.958 2,632.197
2,181.733
1,169.148 4,731.712 31,552.168
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families
(ACF), Office of Family Assistance.
Notes: Excludes TANF funds used in the territories and in tribal TANF programs.
CRS-16

Table B-2. Uses of FY2020 TANF and MOE Funds by Category as a Percentage of Total Federal TANF and
State MOE Spending
Work,
Emergency
Other
Education,
Refund-
Pre-
and Short-
Benefits
Basic
Child
and
able Tax
K/Head
Child
Adminis-
Term
and
Total
State
Assistance
Care
Training
Credits
Start
Welfare
tration
Benefits
Services
Spending
Alabama
8.0%
11.9%
3.4%
0.0%
5.2%
19.6%
11.9%
22.7%
17.4%
100.0%
Alaska
49.7
15.2
13.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
7.5
0.4
14.1
100.0
Arizona
12.7
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
67.0
5.3
2.6
12.3
100.0
Arkansas
5.1
9.3
14.8
0.0
31.8
1.1
17.8
7.0
13.2
100.0
California
38.8
11.4
23.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
8.2
3.9
14.3
100.0
Colorado
17.8
3.4
1.9
15.9
20.2
11.8
11.4
4.8
12.8
100.0
Connecticut
7.2
12.4
2.1
11.5
14.0
13.5
8.4
3.7
27.3
100.0
Delaware
9.1
65.6
5.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.2
1.9
14.0
100.0
District of Columbia
58.6
11.8
12.4
7.5
0.0
0.0
3.7
3.7
2.3
100.0
Florida
14.1
35.9
5.3
0.0
0.0
25.7
10.3
0.1
8.6
100.0
Georgia
22.7
4.6
1.7
0.0
0.0
47.1
4.6
1.2
18.1
100.0
Hawaii
17.5
4.5
18.8
0.0
0.0
0.6
7.1
3.6
47.8
100.0
Idaho
18.1
25.1
6.7
0.0
3.4
3.9
14.8
27.0
0.9
100.0
Il inois
4.4
48.4
1.5
7.5
9.0
20.7
0.0
0.1
8.4
100.0
Indiana
4.8
34.2
1.7
7.5
0.0
0.8
8.5
0.1
42.4
100.0
Iowa
15.9
27.5
4.4
13.3
0.0
24.4
3.4
0.2
10.9
100.0
Kansas
7.4
3.8
0.4
21.7
10.4
24.2
5.6
0.0
26.5
100.0
Kentucky
68.3
12.4
11.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.6
0.0
3.5
100.0
Louisiana
7.1
5.9
16.5
9.3
23.9
12.6
7.9
3.2
13.6
100.0
CRS-17

Work,
Emergency
Other
Education,
Refund-
Pre-
and Short-
Benefits
Basic
Child
and
able Tax
K/Head
Child
Adminis-
Term
and
Total
State
Assistance
Care
Training
Credits
Start
Welfare
tration
Benefits
Services
Spending
Maine
29.4
15.7
9.1
5.9
0.4
7.7
5.0
4.1
22.8
100.0
Maryland
28.1
1.0
5.6
28.3
14.0
5.5
4.3
5.0
8.2
100.0
Massachusetts
20.9
23.0
17.7
19.1
0.0
0.6
2.9
9.0
6.8
100.0
Michigan
9.7
2.0
0.1
3.2
14.3
5.9
4.0
1.5
59.3
100.0
Minnesota
16.4
27.8
9.2
31.1
1.0
0.0
7.4
3.9
3.1
100.0
Mississippi
5.3
2.2
29.6
0.0
0.0
28.3
12.3
0.0
22.3
100.0
Missouri
8.5
7.4
16.9
0.0
0.0
30.3
2.5
19.7
14.6
100.0
Montana
36.0
21.9
5.5
0.0
0.0
4.0
9.7
4.2
18.7
100.0
Nebraska
27.3
17.7
11.8
31.3
0.0
5.9
2.9
0.1
3.1
100.0
Nevada
29.0
12.2
1.1
0.0
0.0
24.8
8.7
7.8
16.4
100.0
New Hampshire
42.5
5.7
9.0
0.0
0.0
5.6
14.2
2.9
20.1
100.0
New Jersey
5.5
14.7
4.9
24.2
41.3
0.0
3.4
1.1
4.9
100.0
New Mexico
22.5
11.2
6.8
24.5
23.1
0.3
2.0
2.1
7.5
100.0
New York
28.0
9.3
2.3
25.1
9.6
6.8
8.4
4.1
6.4
100.0
North Carolina
5.9
38.7
0.7
0.0
15.8
23.3
7.4
0.6
7.6
100.0
North Dakota
9.8
3.2
10.0
0.0
0.0
61.8
12.6
0.2
2.4
100.0
Ohio
20.7
35.4
6.9
0.0
0.0
1.5
8.3
6.4
20.8
100.0
Oklahoma
13.3
41.3
6.4
0.0
0.0
9.3
5.8
0.4
23.5
100.0
Oregon
34.0
4.5
7.5
1.4
4.7
5.9
14.8
9.7
17.5
100.0
Pennsylvania
11.5
42.5
7.7
0.0
19.3
0.0
5.5
0.9
12.6
100.0
Rhode Island
14.0
26.9
6.4
14.4
0.8
17.0
3.3
0.0
17.2
100.0
CRS-18

Work,
Emergency
Other
Education,
Refund-
Pre-
and Short-
Benefits
Basic
Child
and
able Tax
K/Head
Child
Adminis-
Term
and
Total
State
Assistance
Care
Training
Credits
Start
Welfare
tration
Benefits
Services
Spending
South Carolina
29.4
2.5
4.9
0.0
16.7
3.0
11.4
0.0
32.0
100.0
South Dakota
45.0
2.8
9.7
0.0
0.0
12.1
7.6
13.1
9.8
100.0
Tennessee
10.6
25.7
10.4
0.0
37.5
0.0
14.4
0.0
1.3
100.0
Texas
4.6
0.0
8.7
0.0
34.5
38.3
7.0
0.4
6.4
100.0
Utah
17.9
23.4
15.3
0.0
12.9
1.4
6.7
2.1
20.3
100.0
Vermont
13.9
35.2
0.8
20.3
0.0
8.8
5.4
0.7
14.9
100.0
Virginia
21.9
12.9
12.2
0.1
2.2
19.0
16.1
1.8
13.8
100.0
Washington
13.2
14.3
12.4
0.0
4.9
2.7
5.2
7.2
40.1
100.0
West Virginia
27.8
14.6
0.4
0.0
0.0
18.3
10.3
9.4
19.2
100.0
Wisconsin
13.0
34.6
5.1
12.3
0.0
1.3
5.1
5.7
23.0
100.0
Wyoming
38.9
5.3
17.6
0.0
5.8
0.0
11.9
10.9
9.6
100.0
Totals
22.3
16.6
9.7
9.0
8.5
8.3
6.9
3.7
15.0
100.0
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families
(ACF), Office of Family Assistance.
Notes: Excludes TANF funds used in the territories and in tribal TANF programs.

CRS-19

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Table B-3. Unspent TANF Funds at the End of FY2020
(September 30, 2020; $ in millions)
Unliquidated
State
Obligations
Unobligated Balance
Alabama
$5.000
$96.385
Alaska
3.823
17.833
Arizona
0.000
38.786
Arkansas
42.772
56.406
California
100.860
0.000
Colorado
0.000
87.486
Connecticut
0.000
0.000
Delaware
5.356
35.457
District of Columbia
0.000
15.236
Florida
50.819
0.000
Georgia
26.758
79.824
Hawaii
15.302
364.301
Idaho
0.000
8.269
Il inois
0.000
0.000
Indiana
13.406
18.647
Iowa
11.008
0.000
Kansas
3.567
57.065
Kentucky
0.000
38.810
Louisiana
0.000
65.375
Maine
22.300
93.075
Maryland
0.000
0.051
Massachusetts
0.000
0.000
Michigan
0.000
94.231
Minnesota
0.000
103.991
Mississippi
0.000
47.037
Missouri
0.000
0.000
Montana
0.000
19.455
Nebraska
39.053
52.068
Nevada
33.445
1.769
New Hampshire
0.000
44.926
New Jersey
27.786
25.000
New Mexico
1.195
60.053
New York
311.017
586.125
North Carolina
55.335
0.000
Congressional Research Service

20

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Unliquidated
State
Obligations
Unobligated Balance
North Dakota
0.000
1.500
Ohio
0.000
582.599
Oklahoma
0.000
264.061
Oregon
0.000
45.203
Pennsylvania
88.075
410.985
Rhode Island
0.000
25.051
South Carolina
0.000
0.000
South Dakota
0.000
22.795
Tennessee
0.000
789.634
Texas
0.000
281.369
Utah
0.000
59.430
Vermont
0.000
0.000
Virginia
7.366
125.804
Washington
25.809
105.845
West Virginia
0.000
101.445
Wisconsin
0.000
204.997
Wyoming
0.000
27.231

Totals
890.054
5,155.608
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance.
Note: Excludes TANF funds used in the territories and in tribal TANF programs.

Table B-4. Number of Families, Recipients, Children, and Adults Receiving TANF
Assistance by Jurisdiction, March 2022
State
Families
Recipients
Children
Adults
Alabama
5,607
12,514
10,498
2,016
Alaska
1,619
4,244
2,968
1,276
Arizona
5,938
12,448
10,335
2,113
Arkansas
1,229
2,661
2,182
479
California
316,819
1,027,878
720,028
307,850
Colorado
12,036
29,087
21,349
7,738
Connecticut
4,670
10,008
7,519
2,489
Delaware
2,755
7,732
4,596
3,136
District of Columbia
3,834
10,691
8,590
2,101
Florida
25,517
40,224
33,638
6,586
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21

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

State
Families
Recipients
Children
Adults
Georgia
6,387
12,321
11,095
1,226
Guam
354
943
705
238
Hawaii
4,660
13,690
9,082
4,608
Idaho
1,545
2,176
2,151
25
Il inois
10,346
20,842
18,335
2,507
Indiana
4,362
9,202
8,023
1,179
Iowa
5,506
13,381
10,290
3,091
Kansas
3,134
3,134
1,597
1,537
Kentucky
11,767
23,665
20,319
3,346
Louisiana
3,090
7,229
6,135
1,094
Maine
11,668
39,396
24,792
14,604
Maryland
22,633
58,961
40,929
18,032
Massachusetts
50,001
133,740
93,886
39,854
Michigan
8,665
22,397
17,742
4,655
Minnesota
14,586
34,333
25,878
8,455
Mississippi
1,621
2,994
2,561
433
Missouri
6,348
14,463
11,274
3,189
Montana
1,936
4,364
3,601
763
Nebraska
3,186
7,431
6,451
980
Nevada
6,109
15,903
11,684
4,219
New Hampshire
3,816
9,031
6,778
2,253
New Jersey
9,254
23,158
16,707
6,451
New Mexico
10,978
28,314
20,222
8,092
New York
113,612
291,748
195,755
95,993
North Carolina
11,583
20,640
18,358
2,282
North Dakota
691
1,678
1,451
227
Ohio
42,519
74,989
69,067
5,922
Oklahoma
3,800
8,177
7,304
873
Oregon
35,050
102,976
67,611
35,365
Pennsylvania
29,101
71,531
54,830
16,701
Puerto Rico
3,579
9,641
5,933
3,708
Rhode Island
2,768
7,189
5,196
1,993
South Carolina
6,559
15,172
12,383
2,789
South Dakota
2,342
4,563
4,304
259
Tennessee
13,536
27,856
23,022
4,834
Texas
11,590
21,417
19,110
2,307
Utah
2,058
4,627
3,483
1,144
Congressional Research Service

22

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

State
Families
Recipients
Children
Adults
Vermont
1,997
4,348
3,214
1,134
Virgin Islands
70
234
163
71
Virginia
19,202
38,869
29,399
9,470
Washington
38,956
95,653
63,864
31,789
West Virginia
5,312
10,268
8,738
1,530
Wisconsin
12,706
27,493
22,895
4,598
Wyoming
473
1,112
852
260

Totals
939,480
2,498,736
1,808,872
689,864
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS). Data as of 3/10/22 and are subject to revision.
Note: TANF cash assistance caseload includes families receiving assistance in state-funded programs counted
toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement.

Table B-5. Number of Needy Families with Children Receiving Assistance
by Jurisdiction, March of Selected Years

Percentage Change
1994
2010
2019
2022
1994-2022
2019-2022

Alabama
46,690
22,992
6,946
5,607
-88.0%
-19.3%
Alaska
13,132
3,743
2,202
1,619
-87.7
-26.5
Arizona
70,692
18,198
6,766
5,938
-91.6
-12.2
Arkansas
24,666
8,114
2,237
1,229
-95.0
-45.1
California
933,062
608,644
351,909
316,819
-66.0
-10.0
Colorado
39,426
12,894
13,396
12,036
-69.5
-10.2
Connecticut
61,890
16,449
7,278
4,670
-92.5
-35.8
Delaware
10,871
5,418
3,119
2,755
-74.7
-11.7
District of Columbia
26,971
8,900
7,165
3,834
-85.8
-46.5
Florida
231,670
55,671
35,438
25,517
-89.0
-28.0
Georgia
140,246
19,717
8,331
6,387
-95.4
-23.3
Guam
2,124
1,309
399
354
-83.3
-11.3
Hawaii
21,665
9,982
3,969
4,660
-78.5
17.4
Idaho
9,495
1,847
1,995
1,545
-83.7
-22.6
Il inois
239,781
27,759
10,765
10,346
-95.7
-3.9
Indiana
68,610
28,526
5,378
4,362
-93.6
-18.9
Iowa
37,053
20,781
8,175
5,506
-85.1
-32.6
Kansas
28,592
14,870
3,740
3,134
-89.0
-16.2
Congressional Research Service

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The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Percentage Change
1994
2010
2019
2022
1994-2022
2019-2022

Kentucky
76,252
30,772
15,545
11,767
-84.6
-24.3
Louisiana
80,888
10,346
3,050
3,090
-96.2
1.3
Maine
22,086
15,699
13,770
11,668
-47.2
-15.3
Maryland
80,607
24,874
16,020
22,633
-71.9
41.3
Massachusetts
102,126
50,653
48,685
50,001
-51.0
2.7
Michigan
204,589
65,898
10,968
8,665
-95.8
-21.0
Minnesota
61,673
25,205
15,137
14,586
-76.3
-3.6
Mississippi
52,661
11,352
2,731
1,621
-96.9
-40.6
Missouri
91,523
39,084
9,338
6,348
-93.1
-32.0
Montana
11,833
3,412
3,053
1,936
-83.6
-36.6
Nebraska
15,470
8,034
4,215
3,186
-79.4
-24.4
Nevada
16,305
10,765
7,654
6,109
-62.5
-20.2
New Hampshire
11,093
6,079
5,107
3,816
-65.6
-25.3
New Jersey
112,121
34,821
8,914
9,254
-91.7
3.8
New Mexico
34,538
20,085
9,433
10,978
-68.2
16.4
New York
462,611
158,342
110,781
113,612
-75.4
2.6
North Carolina
128,711
22,806
13,833
11,583
-91.0
-16.3
North Dakota
5,316
1,799
936
691
-87.0
-26.2
Ohio
230,613
99,971
50,600
42,519
-81.6
-16.0
Oklahoma
45,674
8,823
5,400
3,800
-91.7
-29.6
Oregon
40,499
33,814
35,483
35,050
-13.5
-1.2
Pennsylvania
207,424
57,759
35,557
29,101
-86.0
-18.2
Puerto Rico
55,066
15,397
4,291
3,579
-93.5
-16.6
Rhode Island
22,494
6,410
3,599
2,768
-87.7
-23.1
South Carolina
49,960
17,244
7,587
6,559
-86.9
-13.5
South Dakota
6,410
3,211
2,801
2,342
-63.5
-16.4
Tennessee
104,027
61,666
17,585
13,536
-87.0
-23.0
Texas
274,450
47,643
19,629
11,590
-95.8
-41.0
Utah
16,910
5,885
3,010
2,058
-87.8
-31.6
Vermont
9,802
3,296
2,501
1,997
-79.6
-20.2
Virgin Islands
1,303
443
70
70
-94.6
0.0
Virginia
73,974
35,892
16,045
19,202
-74.0
19.7
Washington
104,130
62,392
36,727
38,956
-62.6
6.1
West Virginia
38,849
10,343
6,283
5,312
-86.3
-15.5
Wisconsin
73,641
25,961
14,362
12,706
-82.7
-11.5
Congressional Research Service

24

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Percentage Change
1994
2010
2019
2022
1994-2022
2019-2022

Wyoming
5,380
324
518
473
-91.2
-8.7

Totals
4,937,645
1,922,314
1,040,426
939,480
-81.0
-9.7
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS). Data as of 3/10/22 and are subject to revision.
Note: TANF cash assistance caseload includes families receiving assistance in state-funded programs counted
toward the TANF maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement.

Table B-6. TANF Cash Assistance Maximum Monthly Benefit Amounts for a Single-
Parent Family with One Child, By Jurisdiction, July 2020
Monthly Dollar Amount and as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for 2020
Maximum Monthly
Benefit as a
Percentage of the
Maximum Monthly
Federal Poverty

Benefit ($)
Level
Alabama
$190
13.2%
Alaska
821
45.7
Arizona
220
15.3
Arkansas
162
11.3
California
696
48.4
Colorado
400
27.8
Connecticut
487
33.9
Delaware
270
18.8
District of Columbia
515
35.8
Florida
241
16.8
Georgia
235
16.4
Hawaii
485
29.3
Idaho
309
21.5
Il inois
423
29.4
Indiana
229
15.9
Iowa
361
25.1
Kansas
352
24.5
Kentucky
225
15.7
Congressional Research Service

25

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Maximum Monthly
Benefit as a
Percentage of the
Maximum Monthly
Federal Poverty

Benefit ($)
Level
Louisiana
188
13.1
Maine
456
31.7
Maryland
575
40.0
Massachusetts
531
37.0
Michigan
403
28.1
Minnesota
537
37.4
Mississippi
146
10.2
Missouri
234
16.3
Montana
467
32.5
Nebraska
393
27.4
Nevada
320
22.3
New Hampshire
862
60.0
New Jersey
425
29.6
New Mexico
357
24.8
New York
574
40.0
North Carolina
236
16.4
North Dakota
385
26.8
Ohio
412
28.7
Oklahoma
225
15.7
Oregon
432
30.1
Pennsylvania
316
22.0
Rhode Island
449
31.3
South Carolina
237
16.5
South Dakota
550
38.3
Tennessee
215
15.0
Texas
262
18.2
Utah
399
27.8
Vermont
580
40.4
Virginia
422
29.4
Washington
459
31.9
West Virginia
331
23.0
Wisconsin
653
45.5
Wyoming
669
46.6

Maximum State
862
60.0
Congressional Research Service

26

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Maximum Monthly
Benefit as a
Percentage of the
Maximum Monthly
Federal Poverty

Benefit ($)
Level
Minimum State
146
10.2
Median State
399
27.8
Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the Welfare Rules Database, funded by the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and maintained at the Urban Institute. The Welfare Rules
Database has information for the 50 states and District of Columbia. It does not have information on TANF
assistance programs in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands or tribal TANF programs. Federal poverty
level is from HHS at https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines/prior-hhs-poverty-
guidelines-federal-register-references/2020-poverty-guidelines.

Table B-7. TANF Work Participation Standard and Rate, By Jurisdiction for All
Families: FY2021
Caseload
Reduction
Credit
Effected (after
Work
Statutory
(percentage
credit)
Participation
Met the
State
Standard
points)
standard
Rate
standard?
Alabama
50.0%
-50.0
0.0%
36.9%
Yes
Alaska
50.0
-42.0
8.0
30.7
Yes
Arizona
50.0
-50.0
0.0
11.7
Yes
Arkansas
50.0
-50.0
0.0
14.1
Yes
California
50.0
-30.2
19.8
52.1
Yes
Colorado
50.0
-49.2
0.8
44.2
Yes
Connecticut
50.0
-50.0
0.0
3.4
Yes
Delaware
50.0
-50.0
0.0
27.6
Yes
District of Col.
50.0
-39.7
10.3
15.0
Yes
Florida
50.0
-34.5
15.5
3.7
No
Georgia
50.0
-50.0
0.0
4.6
Yes
Guam
50.0
-50.0
0.0
2.9
Yes
Hawaii
50.0
-50.0
0.0
10.9
Yes
Idaho
50.0
0.0
50.0
71.4
Yes
Il inois
50.0
-42.4
7.6
56.0
Yes
Indiana
50.0
-50.0
0.0
12.6
Yes
Iowa
50.0
-50.0
0.0
13.1
Yes
Kansas
50.0
-50.0
0.0
28.7
Yes
Kentucky
50.0
-50.0
0.0
20.6
Yes
Louisiana
50.0
-50.0
0.0
0.5
Yes
Congressional Research Service

27

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Caseload
Reduction
Credit
Effected (after
Work
Statutory
(percentage
credit)
Participation
Met the
State
Standard
points)
standard
Rate
standard?
Maine
50.0
0.0
50.0
79.7
Yes
Maryland
50.0
-35.7
14.3
3.2
No
Massachusetts
50.0
-29.3
20.7
53.8
Yes
Michigan
50.0
-50.0
0.0
25.2
Yes
Minnesota
50.0
-47.3
2.7
14.9
Yes
Mississippi
50.0
-50.0
0.0
41.7
Yes
Missouri
50.0
-50.0
0.0
17.4
Yes
Montana
50.0
-39.1
10.9
36.3
Yes
Nebraska
50.0
-50.0
0.0
9.6
Yes
Nevada
50.0
-45.8
4.2
22.8
Yes
New Hampshire
50.0
0.0
50.0
58.9
Yes
New Jersey
50.0
-50.0
0.0
4.3
Yes
New Mexico
50.0
-50.0
0.0
7.2
Yes
New York
50.0
-50.0
0.0
10.3
Yes
North Carolina
50.0
-48.7
1.3
4.7
Yes
North Dakota
50.0
-50.0
0.0
8.5
Yes
Ohio
50.0
-41.2
8.8
31.9
Yes
Oklahoma
50.0
-50.0
0.0
13.7
Yes
Oregon
50.0
0.0
50.0
34.1
No
Pennsylvania
50.0
-50.0
0.0
11.3
Yes
Puerto Rico
50.0
-50.0
0.0
0.6
Yes
Rhode Island
50.0
-50.0
0.0
6.5
Yes
South Carolina
50.0
-50.0
0.0
9.0
Yes
South Dakota
50.0
0.0
50.0
58.8
Yes
Tennessee
50.0
-50.0
0.0
24.8
Yes
Texas
50.0
-50.0
0.0
3.1
Yes
Utah
50.0
-50.0
0.0
10.5
Yes
Vermont
50.0
-48.9
1.1
35.4
Yes
Virgin Islands
50.0
-50.0
0.0
1.2
Yes
Virginia
50.0
-50.0
0.0
14.5
Yes
Washington
50.0
-50.0
0.0
34.7
Yes
West Virginia
50.0
-50.0
0.0
20.8
Yes
Wisconsin
50.0
-42.5
7.5
36.9
Yes
Wyoming
50.0
0.0
50.0
73.8
Yes
Congressional Research Service

28

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS).
Table B-8. TANF Work Participation Standard and Rate, By Jurisdiction, for
Two-Parent Families: FY2021
(NA denotes that the jurisdiction did not have two-parent families receiving TANF or
MOE-funded assistance)
Caseload
Reduction
Effective
Credit
(after
Work
Statutory
(percentage
credit)
Participation
Met the
State
Standard
points)
standard
Rate
Standard?
Alabama
90.0
-90.0
0.0
55.7
Yes
Alaska
90.0
-52.1
37.9
40.9
Yes
Arizona
90.0
-75.9
14.1
15.1
Yes
Arkansas
90.0
-76.7
13.3
17.7
Yes
California
90.0
-34.4
55.6
22.8
No
Colorado
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Connecticut
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Delaware
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
District of Col.
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Florida
90.0
-46.8
43.2
1.0
No
Georgia
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Guam
90.0
-54.7
35.3
0.6
No
Hawaii
90.0
-74.3
15.7
12.4
No
Idaho
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Il inois
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Indiana
90.0
-77.7
12.3
16.6
Yes
Iowa
90.0
-84.7
5.3
10.7
Yes
Kansas
90.0
-67.0
23.0
31.5
Yes
Kentucky
90.0
-62.2
27.8
32.5
Yes
Louisiana
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Maine
90.0
0.0
90.0
91.6
Yes
Maryland
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Massachusetts
90.0
-29.3
60.7
91.4
Yes
Michigan
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Minnesota
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Mississippi
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Missouri
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Montana
90.0
-70.4
19.6
38.5
Yes
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The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Caseload
Reduction
Effective
Credit
(after
Work
Statutory
(percentage
credit)
Participation
Met the
State
Standard
points)
standard
Rate
Standard?
Nebraska
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Nevada
90.0
-45.8
44.2
29.0
No
New Hampshire
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
New Jersey
90.0
-83.8
6.2
95.9
Yes
New Mexico
90.0
-66.2
23.8
8.5
No
New York
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
North Carolina
90.0
-48.7
41.3
9.7
No
North Dakota
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Ohio
90.0
-83.0
7.0
29.6
Yes
Oklahoma
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Oregon
90.0
0.0
90.0
67.8
No
Pennsylvania
90.0
-90.0
0.0
34.0
Yes
Puerto Rico
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Rhode Island
90.0
-63.7
26.3
6.8
No
South Carolina
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
South Dakota
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Tennessee
90.0
-76.7
13.3
24.0
Yes
Texas
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Utah
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Vermont
90.0
-58.9
31.1
79.9
Yes
Virgin Islands
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Virginia
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Washington
90.0
-52.5
37.5
58.1
Yes
West Virginia
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Wisconsin
90.0
-63.1
26.9
39.9
Yes
Wyoming
90.0
0.0
90.0
70.4
No

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS).

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The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant: FAQs

Author Information

Gene Falk
Patrick A. Landers
Specialist in Social Policy
Analyst in Social Policy

Acknowledgments
CRS Graphics Specialist Amber Wilhelm produced this report’s data visualizations.

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
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Congressional Research Service
RL32760 · VERSION 207 · UPDATED
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