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53 North Carolina

MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT

Under state law, both the counties and the state provide Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds. County spending is generally through the county Work First Block Grant. This block grant contains an allocation of federal funds used for those services that meet the requirements for TANF expenditures. It also contains state and county funds that are used to meet the MOE requirements. Additional state funds for Maintenance of Effort are spent on such items as child care, state administrative costs, and automation.

In general, services provided under the first and second purposes of TANF, using TANF funds, and any of the purposes using Maintenance of Effort funds, may only be provided to families that are financially needy (i.e. with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level). Services provided under the third and fourth purposes of TANF, using Maintenance of Efforts funds, may be provided without regard to income if the expenditures are pro-family. All other services provided for the purposes of using MOE funds are subject to incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Services may be provided to families or children who are experiencing an emergency as defined in the plan, and who do not have sufficient resources to alleviate the emergency.

MOE funds may be used for the activities listed below:

• Work First Cash Assistance. • Work subsidies services which include on-the-job training (OJT) and Subsidized Employment. For OJT, each individual county based on the circumstances locally, will determine the amount of subsidy. On-the-job training may occur in any non-profit, for profit, public or private setting. Participation in this activity offers the opportunity to learn a new trade in a supportive environment, while transitioning into regular, unsubsidized employee status. • Educational activities intended to increase self-sufficiency, job training, and work, excluding any expenditure for public education in the state except expenditures that involve the provision of services or assistance to a member of an eligible family that is not generally available to other people. • Employment services directed toward Job Development and Placement, and Job Search and Readiness. • Subsidized child care to assist with the cost of child care for families with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and who need child care in order to work. • Information and case management services, including outreach and follow-up activities. • Other Work First services activities which include the provision of mental health services and housing expenditures other than housing subsidies. • Retention services provided to former Work First cash participants and eligible families who are not currently receiving Work First whose incomes are at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Level, including but not limited to, transportation, child care, job retention bonuses and services, child and family enrichment services, support services, employment services, and preventive family services, case management, follow-up, mentoring, after school learning programs, parenting programs, literacy programs, and post-employment skills training.