Federal Administration For Children & Families Selects Five States To Launch TANF Pilots With New Outcomes Measurement
On September 25, 2025, the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced that it had selected Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, and Virginia to participate in its redesigned Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) pilot to test new outcomes measurement. The TANF pilot program had a scheduled launch date of October 1, 2025. Over six years, the participating states will replace the current TANF Work Participation Rate (WPR) with methods to capture data such as employment outcomes, earnings growth, and reduced participant reliance on cash assistance, Medicaid, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
ACF did not report how many states applied. Participating states will test the following approaches:
- Arizona will engage directly with employers to connect them with TANF participants and enable quality, sustainable employment.
- Iowa will improve referral coordination, enable enhancements in financial literacy and decision-making tools for participants, and build employer partnerships.
- Nebraska will partner with community organizations, colleges, and businesses to strengthen connections to jobs and enable referrals to Nebraska’s TANF-funded Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Initiative.
- Ohio will implement a personalized “well-being assessment” for TANF participants, and it will offer intensive case management services, financial literacy training, and support for building community capacity.
- Virginia will build on the success of the Career Pathway Pilot with training, intensive case management, and employer engagement to support participants in gaining credentials in fields like health care and skilled trades.
According to the ACF website, TANF is a means-tested program for families with children to achieve economic security and stability. States receive block grants to design and operate programs. Work participation and cost-sharing requirements are applicable.
The ACF Office of Family Assistance collects and analyzes data on TANF caseloads, expenditures, work participation rates, and recipient characteristics. During fiscal year 2024, an average of 841,209 families per month participated in TANF, according to FY2024 – TANF Caseload Data as of 1/30/2025, which is the most recent data posted on the ACF website.
The announcement, ACF Launches Redesigned Welfare Pilot with Five States to Promote Work, Reduce Government Dependency, and Strengthen Families, is available online (accessed October 2, 2025).
A link to the full text of FY2024 – TANF Caseload Data As Of 1/30/2025 is in the OPEN MINDS Circle Library.
General information about TANF is available online (accessed October 2, 2025).
OPEN MINDS last reported on the TANF pilots in Administration For Children & Families Cancels TANF Pilot Project Awarded In November 2024 on April 21, 2025.
For more information, contact: Office of Communications, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 330 C Street Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20201; 202-401-9215; Fax: 202-205-9688; Email: media@acf.hhs.gov; Website: https://www.acf.hhs.gov
