Tribal Programs Policy, Laws and Guidance

Current as of: May 7, 2024

Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund

For information on the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) Non-Recurrent Short Term (NRST) Benefits, please see the Office of Family Assistance PEAF webpage. This page provides various PEAF specific Program Instructions and Questions and Answers for your reference.

Tribal TANF

The Tribal TANF program is governed by its authorizing statute, regulations, and policy guidance. These are all available on this page. Additionally, here you will find policy clarifications in the form of questions and answers (Q&As), reporting instructions for Tribal TANF programs, and other resources useful to Tribal TANF grantees in managing their programs.

Policy

TANF-ACF-PI-2022-01: Form ACF-196T Tribal TANF Financial Report Form
TANF-ACF-PI-2020-02: Questions and answers about Tribal TANF and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
TANF-ACF-PI-2018-02: revises and supersedes TANF-ACF-PI 2005-03), Requirements for Tribes and States Concerning TANF Service Areas and Populations for Tribal TANF Programs
TANF-ACF-PI-2017-01: Guidance on How State Family Assistance Grant (SFAG) and Tribal Family Assistance Grant (TFAG) Amounts for Fiscal Years (FY) 2017 and 2018 Are Affected by the .33% Reduction in TANF Funding in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017
TANF-ACF-PI-2008-03: Guidance for the Resolution of State and Tribal Disagreements Over the State-Submitted Caseload and Expenditure Data Used to Establish the Amount of a Tribal Family Assistance Grant (TFAG)
TANF-ACF-PI-2007-03: Pre-award Costs for Potential Tribal TANF Grantees
TANF-ACF-PA-2000-04: Guidance concerning State Maintenance-of-Effort (MOE) funds paid to a Tribe with an Approved Tribal Family Assistance Plan

Guidance

Questions and Answers

NEW

Policy

NEW-ACF-PI-2018-01 (revises and supersedes NEW-ACF-PI 2011-01): Program, financial, and audit reporting requirements for NEW grantees, including requirements to electronically file both the Federal Financial Report (Standard Form 425) and the Native Employment Works Program Report.
NEW-ACF-PI-2004-02: Effect on Native Employment Works (NEW) grantees of statutory amendment permitting carryover of unobligated balances with no fiscal year limitation.

Guidance

Native Employment Works (NEW) Program Plan Guidance (does not include P.L. 102-477 NEW Programs)
Native Employment Works (NEW) Program Report (PDF Download 5 pages)

Public Law 102-477

Tribal TANF and NEW programs may be integrated into a "477 plan" under Public Law 102-477. Contact the Bureau of Indian Affairs , the lead federal agency for implementing 477, for more information and guidance related to program integration..

TTCW

Policy and Guidance

TTCW Funding Opportunity Announcement (includes policy guidance for the program for years 2020-2025)

Research

TRIBAL TANF LAWS AND REGULATIONS

The Tribal TANF program is governed by the following statute and regulations

Statute: 42 U.S.C. §612.Direct Funding and Administration by Indian Tribes
Regulations: 45 CFR Part 286 Tribal TANF Provisions
Cost Principles - Subpart E of PART 75 of Title 45. Cost principles establish general standards for the allowability of costs, provide detailed guidance on the cost accounting treatment of costs as direct or indirect costs, and set forth allowability principles for selected items of cost.

MANAGING TRIBAL TANF GRANTS

Key resources for managing the Tribal TANF grant include:

Tribal TANF Data Coding Instructions
Economic Resource Development Guide for Tribes and Tribal Communities
Cost Principles Cost principles establish general standards for the allowability of costs, provide detailed guidance on the cost accounting treatment of costs as direct or indirect costs, and set forth allowability principles for selected items of cost