TANF-ACF-PI-2011-07 (Extension of the Deadline for Submitting Qualifying Expenditures for the TANF Emergency Fund)

TO:

State, Territory, and Tribal agencies administering the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program.

SUBJECT:

Extension of the Deadline for Submitting Qualifying Expenditures for the TANF Emergency Fund.

REFERENCE:

Section 403(c) of the Social Security Act, TANF-ACF-PA-2009-01, TANF-ACF-PI-2009-05, TANF-ACF-PI-2010-06, TANF-ACF-PI-2011-05.

PURPOSE:

To provide guidance about how a TANF jurisdiction may submit additional FY 2009 and FY 2010 data to qualify for additional emergency funds for that period.

BACKGROUND:

In Program Instruction (PI) TANF-ACF-PI-2011-05, published on March 11, 2011, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) outlined the process for reporting final data and procedures for final reconciliation for the TANF Emergency Fund. The PI established a deadline of June 30, 2011, for jurisdictions to submit final Emergency Fund data, as well as a three-tiered process to reconcile expenditures and award amounts, and redistribute those funds to jurisdictions that qualify for additional funds.

We have processed all expenditure data that we received by June 30, 2011, and have determined that we will be able to fund all applications in all three tiers with monies that will be returned to the Emergency Fund as a result of updates to previously submitted data, and still have funds remaining.

This program instruction establishes a new deadline by which a jurisdiction may submit new qualifying expenditures for an Emergency Fund award. It also extends the date by which a jurisdiction may qualify for additional funds as a result of updating data.

POLICY:

ACF has processed all Emergency Fund requests made as of June 30, 2011, in accordance with procedures outlined in TANF-ACF-PI-2011-05. Since monies will remain in the Fund after ACF issues deobligations, we are providing jurisdictions the opportunity to submit requests for additional funds. We are establishing a new deadline of September 30, 2011, by which a jurisdiction may submit qualifying expenditures in new quarters and programs, as well as revisions to previously submitted data that result in the awarding of additional funds. Applications with expenditures for new quarters and programs, and/or upward revisions to previously submitted data will be designated as tier four requests.

If we do not have enough funds to award all tier four requests, we will make pro rata adjustments based on the ratio of the amount available in the Emergency Fund to the total amount requested in tier four.

ACF will not process any pending deobligations before this new deadline. If a jurisdiction with a pending deobligation submits a tier four request, consistent with TANF-ACF-PI-2010-06 and TANF-ACF-PI-2011-05, we will require that jurisdiction to return the overpayment prior to receiving a tier four award. To simplify our procedures and reduce any inconvenience for jurisdictions, we may combine the process of recovering overpayments and awarding additional funds rather than requiring jurisdictions to return overpayments prior to receiving awards for applications in tier four.

Please note that a jurisdiction must continue to update data as necessary (in accordance with OFA-100 instructions), after the deadline established by this PI. ACF will use revisions after this date to recover overpayments of emergency funds (i.e., issue deobligations), but such revisions will not result in the awarding of additional emergency funds.

INQUIRIES:

Please direct inquiries to the TANF Program Manager in your Region.

/s/
Earl S. Johnson
Director
Office of Family Assistance