Report
The TANF Data Collaborative Pilot Initiative Final Report
TANF Data Collaborative 2.0
Overview
The purpose of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Data Collaborative (TDC) 2.0 project is to support state and local agencies that administer TANF to expand the routine use, integration, and analysis of TANF and other administrative data to strengthen evidence-informed decision making. TDC 2.0 builds on the TANF Data Innovation (TDI) project that began in 2017, with a specific focus on examining equity within the TANF program to improve program administration and outcomes for families.
The TDC 2.0 project will provide intensive training and technical assistance for up to eight agencies throughout a 36-month project period, including data analytics training, regular webinars, annual conferences, dedicated coaches, and technical experts. Through a “learning by doing” approach, TDC 2.0 will support state and local TANF agencies to conduct equity-focused data analyses of TANF and other administrative data. The project will also provide universal technical assistance to any TANF agency through training materials and events related to TANF data use.
Launched in 2023, TDC 2.0 is led by MDRC in partnership with Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, the Coleridge Initiative, and Blu Lewis.
This project is relevant for policymakers, researchers, and organizations seeking to expand the use of data in state and local TANF agencies as well as for staff from other human service agencies looking for a model to support the use of administrative data for learning and improvement efforts. For more insight into the impact of the TDI project from the perspective of the participants, check out this video.
Additional Project Details
Agenda, Scope, and Goals
TANF Data Collaborative (TDC) 2.0 will offer the following to all state and local TANF agencies throughout the five-year project period:
- The Applied Data Analytics course adapted by the Coleridge Initiative from an existing curriculum to emphasize equity inquiries using multiple linked administrative datasets, including those on TANF recipients and applicants, as well as Unemployment Insurance wage records. The course will guide TANF staff in developing key data science skills.
- Wide range of training and technical assistance activities for anyone to learn from toolkits, other publications, webinars, and conference presentations on a variety of topics related to conducting equity-focused data analytics.
In 2024, ACF anticipates awarding funding to up to eight agencies to work on their own data analytics projects, answering questions of interest to them. Over a three-year period, TDC 2.0 will offer these eight agencies:
- Dedicated coaches and access to a bench of technical and equity experts who provide individualized support to agency teams as they conduct their data analytics projects.
- Peer-to-peer learning activities through formal events (such as annual conferences) and informal activities (like virtual spaces to hang out) to develop personal and professional networks.
