Office of Family Assistance (OFA)

The TANF Contingency Fund was created to provide short-term, targeted relief to states during economic downturns. Today, however, the Fund no longer operates as a true recessionary backstop.

In fiscal year (FY) 2024, combined federal TANF and state MOE expenditures and transfers totaled $37.5 billion. Of that amount, only 21.8 percent was used on basic assistance, compared to 70.9 percent in FY 1997. The share of funds used on basic assistance varied widely by state, with 34 states and the District of Columbia using less than 20 percent of TANF and MOE funds on basic assistance. About 8.1 percent of total TANF and MOE funds were used for child welfare services. Explore the national and state data in detailed tables.