TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) is there to ensure that DC’s children have their most basic needs met, no matter the economic hardships their parents face.
The District’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, administered by the Department of Human Services, makes sure children living in poverty have their most basic needs met in the short term. TANF also helps put families on the path to stability by helping their parents get back on their feet. DCFPI works to ensure that TANF offers comprehensive and effective services, including adequate cash assistance benefits and services such as job training and transportation subsidies.
Featured Publications & Resources
Blog
Reform the TANF Time Limit to Help Families with Children Succeed
By Kate Coventry • November 20, 2015 • Income & Poverty / TANF & Income Support
Testimony
Testimony of Kate Coventry at a Public Oversight Roundtable on Transition Plan for Families Nearing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Time Limit and PR 21-346, The “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Sanction Policy Amendment Approval Resolution of 2015†and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Employment Program Performance Outcomes District of Columbia Committee on Health and Human Services, November 17, 2015
By Kate Coventry • November 18, 2015 • Income & Poverty / Revenue & Budget / TANF & Income Support
Blog
Too Many DC Families Live on $2 a Day: It’s Time to Do More to Help Families Thrive
By Ed Lazere • September 16, 2015 • Income & Poverty / TANF & Income Support
Latest on this Issue
Testimony
TANF Benefits Are a Lifeline for DC Families, and Limits and Cuts Will Do Major Harm
By Tazra Mitchell • June 6, 2025 • TANF & Income Support
Fact Sheets
DC Can Boost Income to Tackle Child Poverty
By DC Fiscal Policy Institute • May 23, 2024 • Income & Poverty / TANF & Income Support
Testimony
District Child Tax Credit Bill is a Tool for Tackling Child Poverty and Should be Strengthened
By Erica Williams • January 24, 2024 • Income & Poverty / TANF & Income Support
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