A kinship caregiver who is also the child’s grandparent may be eligible for an additional Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefit. This additional one-time benefit, known as the TANF Grandparent Grant, provides up to $1,000 to help with the costs of integrating the child into the grandparent’s home.

Refer the grandparent to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to apply for this benefit.

The general eligibility requirements to receive the TANF Grandparent Grant are as follows:

 •   The child has been approved to receive a TANF benefit (usually a child-only grant in which the caregiver’s income is not included in the grant calculation, and the grant is provided only for the child).

 •   The grandparent is 45 years of age or older.

 •   The grandparent’s income does not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty limit.

 •   The family’s resources are less than or equal to TANF resource limits.

The child’s caseworker or kinship development worker must:

 •   complete Form 0696 [sic, broken link] Kinship/TANF Program Letter; and

 •   provide it to the grandparent to use when applying for TANF.

Form 0696 is a letter to the TANF worker:

 •   explaining the services the kinship caregiver is receiving from DFPS; and

 •   clarifying that the caregiver is not a paid foster home.