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The functioning of the U.S. social safety net as a support for low-income families depends on various means-tested programs and a system of both public agencies and nonprofit organizations. Using in-depth interviews ( n = 5) and a survey of nonprofit employees ( n = 73), we seek to understand the role of nonprofits in promoting equitable access to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Our findings reveal that public assistance programs are a necessary support for families, but that access is not always easy or equitable, and nonprofits form a protective layer of support providing resources and guidance for those most in need. Implications for policy and partnerships between the various components of the social safety net are discussed.

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Social welfare programs have increasingly implemented work requirements, with punitive measures such as sanctions to enforce compliance. Frontline workers, operating in public environments with limited resources, have discretion over when to issue sanctions and often use short cuts, sometimes guided by bias, to manage caseloads. This study conducts a multi‐country systematic literature review of research related to who gets sanctioned and why with a focus on the experiences of racial, ethnic, and immigrant groups. Through our review of 23 studies, we find that there are significant disparities in sanction use and experience, and that differences are shaped by both frontline and institutional practice. While disparities were highlighted across programs, impacted groups differed based on geopolitical and historical contexts. We summarise findings across studies to provide insights into creating more equitable welfare policies and programs and offer suggestions for future research.

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