The report highlighted in this blog post is part of the Colorado Children’s Campaign Kids in Focus series, which elevates data and research to inform the policy conversation about kids and families in Colorado.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is one of the most targeted efforts to meet the immediate needs of kids experiencing extreme poverty while also setting them up for a stronger future. In 2023, Colorado’s TANF program supported 47,000 kids living in households with less than $14,000 in annual income.
But nearly three decades after its creation, Colorado’s TANF program needs strategic improvements to ensure it is effectively supporting children and families.
Recent federal policy changes, including H.R. 1 passed by Congress in July, will create new strains on many Colorado families with lower incomes – and on Colorado’s budget and benefits systems at the state and county level. It is more important than ever to maximize every dollar of TANF funds in Colorado to ensure the sustainability of the TANF program and support children and families in the most effective ways possible.
In “Understanding Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Colorado” and “Essential, Research-Based Strategies to Modernize TANF in Colorado,” we explain how the TANF program currently works in Colorado and share research about how to improve its effectiveness by targeting funding to evidence-based programs and improving its approach to tracking outcomes.
The reports examine how Colorado can maximize its TANF funds to create lasting positive outcomes for children and families living in extreme poverty by:
- Investing TANF funds in research-backed strategies like cash assistance, child care, and effective types of education and
- Establishing and tracking holistic, family-centered outcome measures that prioritize long-term impact.
Reports from the “Kids in Focus” research series:
- “Colorado Families Need Help Affording Child Care”
- “Rising Needs, Limited Resources: Homelessness and Colorado’s Children”
- “Understanding Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Colorado”
- “Essential, Research-Based Strategies to Modernize TANF in Colorado”
