
Office of Family Assistance Fact Sheet

Office of Family Assistance
Mission Statement
The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) invests in families and communities for economic and family prosperity across generations through effective economic supports, workforce development, and supportive services.
Program Description
OFA administers three block grant programs including the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Tribal TANF, and Native Employment Works (NEW) programs and several other discretionary grant programs.
Programs/Initiatives
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Since replacing Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) in 1996, the TANF program has served as one of the nation’s primary economic security and stability programs for families and children with low-incomes. TANF is a block grant that provides $16.6 billion annually to states, territories, the District of Columbia, and federally-recognized Indian tribes. These TANF jurisdictions use federal TANF funds to provide income support to families with children with low-income, as well as to provide a wide range of services (e.g., work-related activities, child care, and refundable tax credits) designed to accomplish the program’s four broad purposes. These statutory purposes are to:
- Provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives
- End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage
- Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies
- Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families
Tribal TANF
Federally recognized Indian tribes can apply for funding to administer Tribal TANF programs under section 412 of the Social Security Act (Pub.L.104-193). Tribal TANF provides tribes with flexibility to design TANF programs that are culturally grounded and responsive to their community’s needs.
Like states, tribes receive block grants to design and operate programs that accomplish one of the four purposes of the TANF program. As of April 2024, there are 75 approved Tribal TANF programs serving ~287 federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Native Villages.
Native Employment Works (NEW)
The Native Employment Works (NEW) program provides funding to eligible tribes for work activities assisting Native American and Alaskan Native groups in preparing for, finding, and retaining jobs within specified service areas. Section 412 of the Social Security Act (Pub.L.104-193) restricts NEW funding eligibility to federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native organizations that operated a Tribal Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program in fiscal year (FY) 1995.
According to the law, annual NEW grant amounts are based on FY94 Tribal JOBS funding levels for each eligible tribe or tribal organization. There are 78 NEW grant recipients receiving awards totaling $7,633,287 annually.
Tribal TANF-Child Welfare (TTCW) Coordination Grants
The TTCW Coordination grant funds eight tribal recipients to demonstrate effective coordination models between Tribal TANF and child welfare services for tribal families at risk of child abuse or neglect. Each grant spans five years and is overseen by a tribal government or tribal consortia.
Recipients utilize various strategies to coordinate the programs, aiming to achieve the following objectives:
- Enhance case management for families eligible for Tribal TANF assistance
- Provide supportive services and assistance to tribal children in out-of-home placements and their caretaking families, including adoptive families
- Deliver prevention services and assistance to tribal families at risk of child abuse and neglect
Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF)
HMRF programs provide $150 million per year in discretionary grants, contracts, research and evaluation, and other activities to strengthen families, promote responsible parenting, and improve family economic stability. The programs were originally authorized in 2006, and continue under 42 U.S.C. §603(a)(2).
These programs play a key role in helping OFA achieve its goals to foster economically secure households and communities for the well-being and long-term success of children and families. These grants are part of HHS’ community-based efforts to promote strong, healthy family formation and maintenance, responsible fatherhood and parenting, and economic stability.
The HMRF programs are specifically designed to provide education and skills training, to help interested adults and youth build stronger relationships, marriages, father-child engagement, and families. There are currently 110 5-year grant awards to various organizations in 30 states to provide activities to promote healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood promotion activities. The current grants were awarded under three Funding Opportunities Announcements (FOAs) in FY20:
- Family, Relationship, and Marriage Education Works (FRAMEWorks) — Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education promotion activities for adults;
- Fatherhood Family-focused, Interconnected, Resilient, and Essential (Fatherhood FIRE) — Responsible Fatherhood promotion activities for adult fathers; and
- Relationships, Education, Advancement, and Development for Youth for Life (READY4Life) — Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education promotion activities for youth, including parenting youth.