Operating TANF: Opportunities and Challenges for Tribes and Tribal Consortia.

Federal law permits American Indian tribes to operate TANF programs for their members, an option that entails benefits as well as risks and costs. This reports discusses the experiences of 10 tribes and examines the benefits, as well as challenges and lessons, from the experience. It notes that tribes have adopted strategies to prepare participants for employment; improve education, job skills, and work experience; and address barriers to employment. Significant challenges remain, however, particularly the lack of unsubsidized employment on reservations and concern about time limits being reached before enough jobs become available in Indian Country.