TANF Spending on Total Transfers to Block Grants

This figure shows trends in TANF spending on Total Transfers to Block Grants from FY 2015-2022 by region.

For more information on state TANF spending, visit our report landing page.

TANF Spending on Total Transfers to Block Grants, FYs 2015-2022

Note: Total state TANF spending includes both expenditures and transfers for federal TANF funds and expenditures of state maintenance of effort funds, as reported by states in Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Form ACF-196R. While TANF’s authorizing legislation provides states $16.5 billion in fixed federal TANF funding, state spending may vary from year to year as states spend different amounts of maintenance of effort funds, receive and spend federal Contingency Funds, and spend unspent federal funds carried over from previous years or retain these funds for future use.

Definitions

Total Transfers to Block Grants: This is the sum of two Form ACF-196R categories:

Transfers to the Child Care and Development Fund: Funds transferred to the Child Care and Development Fund. These funds are subject to the rules and regulations of the Child Care and Development Fund in place for the federal fiscal year at the time when the transfer occurs. A state can only transfer current-year federal TANF funds.

Transfers to the Social Services Block Grant: Funds transferred to the Social Services Block Grant. These funds are subject to the statute and regulations of the Social Services Block Grant program in place for the federal fiscal year at the time when the transfer occurs and are only to be used for programs and services to children or their families whose income is less than 200 percent of the income official poverty line as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. A state can only transfer current-year federal TANF funds.