Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Overview
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is the second largest source of public funding for child care in the United States.
TANF provides grants to states to help design and operate programs that support low-income families, including through increased access to child care and early learning opportunities, which helps parents to enter or return to the workforce.
For decades, federal regulations and guidance have allowed TANF funds to support or expand a broad range of child care and early learning initiatives in states.
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2026: ABCs of Federal Early Learning & Child Care Funding Streams
Each year, millions of children from birth through age five benefit from an array of federal early learning and care programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services …
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