Uncle Sam Asks Tribes: How's That Welfare Data Headache Treating You?
Published Date: 3/3/2026
Notice
Summary
The government wants to hear from Tribal TANF leaders, staff, and participants about their experiences with data reporting and research needs. This info will help improve reporting rules and support, making things clearer and easier for Tribal TANF programs. Comments are open until May 4, 2026, so now’s the time to share your thoughts and help shape the future!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Changes to Tribal TANF Reporting
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will use information from Tribal Leaders, Tribal TANF program leaders, staff, and participants to inform future changes to Tribal TANF data reporting requirements and revisions to guidance. ACF says this could improve clarity and address inconsistencies in data definitions and lead to improvements in data-related technical assistance for Tribal TANF grantees.
Research To Support Tribal TANF Programs
ACF and OPRE will use the collected information to inform future OPRE-sponsored research so Tribal TANF programs can get evidence that supports program implementation and decision-making. The stated goal is to produce research that helps programs serve their communities better and improve participant outcomes.
Estimated Respondent Time Burden
The proposed information collection estimates respondent time burdens of 0.5 to 2 hours per response for instruments such as talking circles, surveys, interviews, and observations. The agency estimates an overall annual burden of 135 hours and says data collection efforts are expected to take place over about 2.5 years (a 3-year request was used for annual estimates). Comments on the collection are due by May 4, 2026.
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