State Fact Sheets: Trends in State TANF-to-Poverty Ratios.

This webpage begins by explaining the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant provides a temporary safety net to poor families and has decreased its reach since its implementation in 1996. It notes in 2015, for every 100 families in poverty, only 23 received cash assistance from TANF, down from 68 families when TANF was first enacted. It states this “TANF-to-Poverty ratio” (TPR) reached its lowest point in 2014 and remained there in 2015. Links to State fact sheets are then provided that include information on a specific State’s TPR from 1995/96 to 2014/15, the number of families with children receiving TANF, in poverty, and in deep poverty, and the TANF benefit level and share of the federal poverty level. A chart on each State fact sheet graphs the changes in AFDC/TANF cases and the number of families with children in poverty and deep poverty.