Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The District’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides cash assistance to families in need, along with a suite of services to facilitate their path to success. Families enrolled in the District’s TANF program may receive benefits so long as they are income-eligible and have a child in the home. TANF also offers access to a variety of supportive services that can be bundled together to meet individual needs. DHS employs a two-generation approach to reaching and serving families so that children and parents can grow together.

Click here to Apply for TANF

Through the TANF program, customers gain access to supportive services, including but not limited to:

TANF Employment and Education Program (TEP) – provides coaching towards education and employment goals, but can also coach parents on goals they have for their child(ren) and families
Child Care Subsidy – allows parents to enroll their child(ren) in quality childcare, including before and aftercare
Behavioral, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Support – connects customers to the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) to obtain counseling to cope and manage behavioral, mental, emotional, or substance abuse issues for parents or their child(ren)
Tuition Assistance Program Initiative for TANF (TAPIT) – financial assistance to enroll in post-secondary educational programs or professional certificate and/or licensing programs

Eligibility

To be eligible for TANF services, you must be:

A resident of the District of Columbia
Either pregnant or responsible for a child under 19 years of age
A U.S. citizen, legal alien, or permanent resident
Meet income requirements based on household size (see Income Requirement table below)
Complete orientation and assessment through the Office of Work Opportunity (OWO)
Develop an Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP)

If you are approved for TANF, unless you are exempt, you must engage with a service provider and maintain compliance with your IRP.

Some customers enrolled in the TANF program may seek an exemption from work requirements. Examples of exemption reasons include but are not limited to:

Being pregnant
Having a child under age one
Experiencing domestic violence
Having a physical disability that limits work

Income Requirements at Application

The maximum income a family can have per application and still qualify for TANF depends on the family size and childcare costs. The maximum income a family can have, based on household size is below. (Once on TANF, families can earn more, and continue to qualify for benefits).

Income Limits and Maximum Monthly TANF Benefit Amounts

Effective October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026
Household Size	Maximum Monthly Benefit for Cash Programs	Maximum Monthly Earnings at Application
1	$504	$664
2	$629	$789
3	$803	$963
4	$983	$1,143
5	$1,136	$1,296
6	$1,335	$1,495
7	$1,532	$1,692
8	$1,691	$1,851
9	$1,863	$2,023
10	$2,024	$2,184

If a family has childcare costs, there is a maximum monthly income limit increase of $175 per child age 2 or over and $200 per child under the age of two.

Resource Requirements

Resources are things like bank accounts, money market funds, certificates of deposit, and stocks and bonds. For households that have a resource limit, households may have $3,000 in countable resources. If the household includes a person who is age 60 or older the resources limit is $4,500. If you apply for TANF, the District will review your information and determine whether you meet the resource requirements