What You Need To Know
Iowa’s Family investment plan (FIP) is a TANF program-Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families, to improve the economic condition of low-income families by providing them financial assistance for a prescribed period of time, enabling them to become self-sufficient. Iowa’s FIP can uplift the financial situation of a family on a temporary basis, up to 60-months only. The Family investment program allows children of low-income families, to be cared in their own houses or of their relatives.
For families to enroll themselves in the support program, they must meet income and assets requirements. Most importantly, they must have an under 18 in the house, gaining an education. Moreover, they must be legally recognized citizens or refugees and able to participate in work, training or educational services to fulfill their needs by themselves in the coming future.
Besides the monthly cash assistance, economic support is also provided to the participants of FIP via Promise Jobs program –Promoting Independence and Self-Sufficiency through Employment, Job, Opportunity and Basic Skills. The Promise Jobs program not only provides training and workforce skills to the participants but the program itself pay for the allowances such as transportation of the participants.
Every applicant of Iowa’s Family investment program (FIP) must co-ordinate with Iowa’s state department and management of FIP. An agreement of self-sufficiency plan- known as Family Investment Agreement (FIA), must also be signed by the applicants and case manager of PROMISE JOBS for the applicants to get approved. The Family investment agreement (FIA) would include the terms that mention the steps family must take, in order to reach their goal of self-sufficiency. Once an applicant is approved for the FIP, he must follow the terms agreed in FIA in order to continue to receive financial assistance for up to 60 months. In case of Hardship extensions, the FIP limit may extend by 6 months at most.
The ultimate goal of Iowa’s Family Investment Plan (FIP) is to enable low-income families to reach financial independence and stability, by increasing their participation in the workforce department (WD).
Who Administers The Program?
Iowa’s Family investment program (FIP) is administered by ACF-Administration for Children and Families, while all the Iowa’s Community Action Agencies are administered by the Department of Human Rights at whole.
Eligibility Criteria
The requirements for a candidate to qualify for the Family Investment Program (FIP) includes the applicant being a legally recognized US citizen or a foreigner. The applicant must be a resident of Iowa and provide all necessary information to determine eligibility and level of benefit in the program. In addition, he must be willing to co-operate with the FIP department and be identified as a needy of Family Investment Program (FIP) by the case manager of PROMISE JOBS. Moreover, the applicant must provide the FIP officials with social security number and he must meet income and resource limit of the program which varies accordingly.
How To Apply?
Those applicants who fulfill the eligibility criteria of the program may apply at any DHS office throughout the country. After filling in the necessary details in the application form, the applicants may mail or individually take it to the local DHS office according to their own convenience. In the case of expedited processing, the applicant may also apply through OASIS –virtual platform to apply for Iowa’s services.
Contact
(800) 972-2017