Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
Date updated: 01/10/2012
Since the introduction of welfare reform in 1997, cash assistance to eligible families is administered under a program called Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). This program, intended to promote self-sufficiency, assists low-income families by transitioning them from monthly cash assistance to entry into the workforce. Program assistance is limited to families with dependent children or parents of an unborn child. The amount received is based on the number of family members. Benefits are generally limited to 60 months over an adult recipient's lifetime.
What this chart shows: Average Monthly Number of Larimer County Households Applying for TANF Cash Assistance, 2006 - 2011
Data Source: Larimer County Department of Human Services (data not available online)
What the above data tell us:
Over the last six years, the number of people applying for TANF cash assistance peaked in 2009, averaging 300 applications per month.What this chart shows: Average Monthly Number of Larimer County Households Receiving TANF Cash Assistance, 2006 - 2011
*average based on 11 months of data - no data available for August 2009
Data Source: Larimer County Department of Human Services (data not available online)
What the above data tell us:
The eligibility requirements for receiving TANF cash assistance has varied between 2006 and 2011, which has affected the number of households in the County receiving benefits.Between 2006 and 2008, the average number of households receiving TANF benefits dropped 55%. Since 2008, that number has increased 110% and is approaching the high average number of 549 in 2006.
Additional Information:
Related Information on COMPASS -
- Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
- Children in Families - Single and Two Parents
- Economy - Business
- Food Stamps
- Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
- Median Family Income
- Per Capita Personal Income
- Poverty
- Reduced/Free School Lunches
- Self-Sufficient Wages
Other Resources -
- Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute/ The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Colorado 2011: A Family Needs Budget [pdf] - this report, produced by the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, uses the Self-Sufficiency Standard to calculate the income needed by families in each Colorado county to meet basic needs without public or private assistance.
- WomenGive provides grants for childcare, enabling single mothers to pursue career-advancing educational opportunities. Funded by United Way of Larimer County, the WomenGive Fund accepts applications for fall, spring, and summer semesters.
- Federal Poverty Guidelines
- Larimer County Department of Human Services - Basic Assistance Programs
- MDRC - Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation is a non-profit, social policy research organization that publishes numerous reports about family self-sufficiency issues.
- National Center for Children in Poverty - a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization at Columbia University that provides a TANF Policy summary for all fifty states.
Standards or Targets: N/A
Data Table:
Number of Households Applying for TANF Cash Assistance - Larimer County
|
|
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
January |
138 |
136 |
189 |
365 |
212 |
200 |
|
|
February |
101 |
108 |
129 |
273 |
160 |
146 |
|
|
March |
126 |
137 |
154 |
302 |
219 |
185 |
|
|
April |
105 |
108 |
179 |
375 |
214 |
181 |
|
|
May |
124 |
123 |
146 |
289 |
186 |
185 |
|
|
June |
175 |
128 |
160 |
329 |
198 |
188 |
|
|
July |
132 |
155 |
202 |
370 |
199 |
212 |
|
|
August |
156 |
146 |
244 |
311 |
242 |
214 |
|
|
September |
124 |
138 |
281 |
272 |
163 |
209 |
|
|
October |
165 |
163 |
303 |
258 |
179 |
181 |
|
|
November |
129 |
151 |
254 |
220 |
196 |
179 |
|
|
December |
107 |
124 |
287 |
239 |
157 |
172 |
|
|
Yearly Total |
1,582 |
1,617 |
2,528 |
3,603 |
2,325 |
2,252 |
|
|
Yearly Average |
132 |
135 |
211 |
300 |
194 |
188 |
Number of Households Receiving TANF Cash Assistance - Larimer County
|
|
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
January |
614 |
472 |
299 |
230 |
512 |
458 |
|
|
February |
595 |
436 |
290 |
265 |
471 |
482 |
|
|
March |
609 |
457 |
282 |
292 |
501 |
517 |
|
|
April |
601 |
420 |
254 |
336 |
510 |
510 |
|
|
May |
571 |
407 |
262 |
328 |
508 |
507 |
|
|
June |
592 |
381 |
243 |
360 |
498 |
509 |
|
|
July |
540 |
379 |
222 |
370 |
500 |
512 |
|
|
August |
516 |
350 |
208 |
n/a |
499 |
531 |
|
|
September |
489 |
338 |
195 |
398 |
511 |
549 |
|
|
October |
489 |
328 |
229 |
428 |
489 |
557 |
|
|
November |
481 |
300 |
231 |
478 |
495 |
509 |
|
|
December |
485 |
287 |
253 |
542 |
463 |
584 |
|
|
Yearly Total |
6,582 |
4,555 |
2,968 |
4,027* |
5,957 |
6,225 |
|
|
Yearly Average |
549 |
380 |
247 |
366* |
496 |
519 |
*Based on 11 months