Supportive Services Resources - Welfare to Work Vouchers

Funding for Supportive Services

Potential sources of funding for supportive services include state TANF funds and HUD's ROSS Program. The funding resources page contains additional information on DOL, TANF, WIA, transportation, and childcare funding.

State TANF Funds

Some States have expanded the activities that can be counted toward the work requirements under TANF. View " Helping Families Achieve Self-Sufficiency: A Guide on Funding Sources for Children and Families Through the TANF Program" for more information about these expanded activities! If your State has expanded the allowable activities, you might be able to offer some of these activities on-site, through partners, or through referrals. These activities usually function as starting points, not as an ongoing substitution for the education or employment and training activities. Examples of allowable activities include:

• Parenting classes.
• Community activities, such as volunteering at Head Start or participating on a tenant management board. The community activities could be designed to increase a participant's responsibilities each month.
• Childcare or transportation activities.
• Substance abuse counseling.
• Mental health counseling.

These activities are likely to increase the success rate of the participants in your program by giving them an opportunity to deal with personal or family problems as they study, work, or train for employment. Such activities can also help them gain confidence, increase their competency, and develop job-related skills such as a sense of responsibility.

Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS)

The purpose of ROSS is to link services to public and Indian housing residents by providing grants for supportive services, resident empowerment activities, and activities to assist residents in becoming economically self-sufficient. A percentage of funds can also be targeted to Section 8 programs. See HUD's ROSS funding page for more information.