Last updated: May 20, 2026
Bottom line
Colorado’s TANF program is called Colorado Works. It can help eligible families with children through monthly cash assistance, work support, training, and help with basic needs while the family works toward stability.
For most families, the best first step is to apply through Colorado PEAK or contact your county office. Colorado Works is state-supervised but county-run, so your county will review your application, explain local steps, and tell you what proof is needed.
This guide is written for single mothers and other caregivers in Colorado. It does not promise approval or a certain benefit amount. It shows where to apply, what to ask, and what to do if your case is denied, delayed, sanctioned, or affected by safety concerns.
If you need help right now
If you have no food, an eviction notice, a utility shutoff, unsafe housing, a domestic violence concern, or no child care for work, do not wait for a perfect application. Apply and tell the county about the emergency.
- For cash assistance, apply through Colorado PEAK or your county office.
- For food, shelter, rent, utilities, diapers, child care, transportation, or crisis referrals, call or search 211 Colorado.
- If child support cooperation could put you or your children at risk, ask your Colorado Works worker about Good Cause and safety options. Colorado Child Support Services explains these options on its child support safety page.
- If you are in danger, contact local emergency services when it is safe. For confidential domestic violence support, use The Hotline.
Where to start
Start with the path that fits your situation today. You can apply even if you are not sure you qualify. The county makes the official decision.
You need cash help
Apply for Colorado Works through PEAK or your county. Ask whether your case may qualify for ongoing cash assistance or a one-time diversion payment.
You have a job barrier
Tell the county if you need transportation, training, work clothes, child care, a license fee, or a different work schedule. Support depends on your plan and county rules.
You are not safe
Ask for Good Cause if child support cooperation, a meeting, or a work activity could create danger. Ask to speak privately, without the other parent present.
For a wider list of state help paths, use our Colorado help guide. If the problem is urgent, also check our emergency help page.
Quick reference table
| Need | Where to start | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Apply for TANF cash | Colorado PEAK or county office | You may still need an interview and documents. |
| Check county contact | CDHS county directory | Rules are statewide, but local steps can vary. |
| Use cash benefits | EBT card or direct deposit | Protect your card and PIN from theft. |
| Read program rules | state rule | The rule text is detailed and can change. |
| Appeal a problem | County, hearing request, or legal aid | Deadlines are in your notice. Act fast. |
What Colorado Works can help with
Colorado Works is more than a cash check. The official cash assistance page says Colorado Works helps eligible families with very low incomes through cash, job preparation, work, family stabilization, training, and employment help.
Colorado Works may include:
- Monthly cash assistance for basic needs.
- Employment services, such as job search support, training referrals, and work planning.
- Supportive services, which may help with a work or training plan, depending on county policy.
- Diversion or one-time help in some counties when one payment may solve a short-term crisis.
- Referrals to child care, food, medical coverage, child support, housing, and other local programs.
Do not assume every county can pay for the same item. Ask for the county’s Colorado Works policy, the name of the program, and what proof they need. If the worker says no, ask what similar support may be available through your plan.
Who may qualify
Colorado Works is for families with children in the home. CDHS says you may apply if you are pregnant or caring for a child under 18, live in Colorado, meet citizenship or eligible immigration rules, and have family income under the state’s listed annual amount. Your county still reviews your full case.
Eligibility can depend on income, household size, who lives with you, pregnancy, age of the child, immigration status, resources, work rules, and whether an adult has used TANF before. A child may qualify in some cases even when an adult in the home does not.
Do not rely on old dollar amounts
Benefit amounts and local practices can change. The safest way to check your family’s current situation is to apply, use the PEAK screening tools, and ask the county to explain the budget in writing.
Federal TANF rules limit federally funded assistance for many families with an adult recipient to 60 cumulative months, with limited exceptions. The federal time-limit rule is in federal time limit regulations. Ask your worker how many countable months are on your case before you make long-term plans.
How to apply for Colorado Works
You can apply online, by mobile app, with a paper application, or through your county human services office. If you cannot finish every document today, submit the application and send missing proof as soon as possible.
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Use PEAK to apply, upload documents, and check notices. | Fast filing and tracking. |
| Mobile app | Use the MyCOBenefits app if it works for your phone. | Uploading proof from your phone. |
| County office | Apply in person or ask for a paper application. | Urgent needs, language help, or internet problems. |
| Mail or fax | Send the paper form to your county. | When online access is not available. |
Keep proof of the date you applied. Save screenshots, confirmation numbers, receipts, fax confirmations, mail tracking, and copies of anything you turn in. Colorado Legal Services recommends keeping notices, copies, upload proof, and notes from calls when you have a benefits problem.
Documents and information to gather
The county may ask for proof before it can approve your case. Do not give up if you are missing one item. Ask what substitute proof is accepted.
| Item | Examples | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Photo ID, license, passport, school ID | Ask what can be used if your ID was lost. |
| Children | Birth certificates, school records, Social Security numbers | Ask if records can be provided later. |
| Colorado address | Lease, mail, shelter letter, utility bill | Tell the county if you are doubled up or unhoused. |
| Income | Pay stubs, employer letter, unemployment, child support | Report gross pay and hours clearly. |
| Expenses | Rent, utilities, child care, transportation costs | Useful for planning and emergency requests. |
| Safety or health | Protection order, advocate letter, doctor note | Share only what is safe and needed. |
Work rules, training, and child care
Colorado Works is a work-focused program for most adult recipients. Your county may assign job search, work experience, training, school, community service, or other approved activities. Federal rules list work activities and use 30 hours a week for many work-eligible adults. A single custodial parent with a child under age six can count with at least 20 hours a week under federal work rules.
That does not mean every parent has the same plan. Ask for your plan in writing. Tell the county if your schedule, child care, pregnancy, disability, child’s disability, transportation, safety, or work hours make the assigned activity impossible.
Child care can be a major barrier. Ask your Colorado Works worker about child care tied to your plan. You can also read our child care guide. For state child care subsidy details, the Colorado child care portal explains the CCCAP guide, including how families can apply and how care must be authorized.
If you need work leads, training, resume help, or a local job center, Colorado Workforce Centers offer free job seeker services through workforce centers.
Safety, child support, and Good Cause
TANF often connects families with child support services. For many parents, child support can help long term. But it can be unsafe for some survivors of domestic violence, stalking, coercive control, sexual violence, or threats.
If pursuing child support could put you or your child at risk, tell your Colorado Works worker you need to ask about Good Cause. Colorado Child Support Services says families receiving or applying for Colorado Works may be able to request Good Cause so they are not mandatorily referred to child support or required to cooperate when pursuing support is unsafe.
You can also read our domestic violence help guide and our child support guide. This article is only general information. A local advocate or lawyer can help you think through safety, paperwork, and privacy.
If your case is denied, delayed, reduced, or sanctioned
Read every notice right away. Notices may list the reason, the effective date, what proof is missing, and how to appeal. If you do not understand the notice, ask your county for an explanation and ask for a copy of the rule or budget used.
| Problem | What to ask | Who may help |
|---|---|---|
| Denied | “What proof or rule caused the denial?” | County worker, supervisor, legal aid |
| No response | “Has my application been processed?” | County office, PEAK message center |
| Sanction | “What did I miss, and how do I cure it?” | Worker, supervisor, legal aid |
| Overpayment | “How was this amount calculated?” | County, legal aid |
| Safety issue | “Can I request Good Cause?” | County, advocate, legal aid |
If you disagree with a denial, reduction, sanction, or overpayment, contact the county quickly and ask how to request a conference or hearing. You may also contact legal services for public benefits help. If your issue is broader legal safety, housing, or benefits trouble, our legal help guide can help you find next steps.
Do not miss notice deadlines
Appeal deadlines can be short. If you want benefits to continue during an appeal, the deadline may be even shorter. Read the notice, call the county, and keep proof of your appeal request.
Backup help if TANF is not enough
Colorado Works may help, but it may not cover the full rent, all bills, or every crisis. Apply for other support at the same time.
- Food: Use Colorado’s SNAP page and our SNAP guide.
- Pregnancy and young children: Colorado WIC explains how to apply on its WIC apply page. Our WIC guide gives more Colorado steps.
- Health coverage: Health First Colorado is the state Medicaid program. Start with Medicaid or our health care guide.
- Heating bills: Colorado LEAP helps with part of winter heating costs. Check the state LEAP page and our utility help guide.
- Housing: If rent, eviction, shelter, or unsafe housing is the main issue, start with our housing help guide.
- Training and work: Ask your worker and check our job training guide.
- Transportation: If getting to work or meetings is the barrier, see our transportation help guide.
- Rural families: Travel distance and internet access can make paperwork harder. Our rural help guide covers extra starting points.
Phone scripts you can use
Ask about an emergency
“I applied for Colorado Works and I have an urgent problem. My issue is [eviction, shutoff, no food, child care, or transportation]. Can you screen me for any immediate help, diversion, or county emergency support today?”
Ask about missing documents
“I want to finish my Colorado Works case. Which documents are still missing? Can you tell me what substitute proof you accept if I cannot get one of those records?”
Ask for a plan change
“My work plan is not possible because of [child care, schedule, transportation, disability, pregnancy, or safety]. I am asking for a case conference and a written plan that I can actually follow.”
Ask about Good Cause
“I have safety concerns about child support cooperation. I need to speak privately with my Colorado Works worker about Good Cause and safe handling of my case.”
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until all documents are ready. File the application first, then send missing proof quickly.
- Ignoring mail or PEAK messages. Notices can start deadlines.
- Not asking about child care. If an activity is required, ask how child care will be handled.
- Staying quiet about safety. Ask for Good Cause and privacy if child support or meetings are unsafe.
- Missing a work activity without calling. Call before you miss it, or as soon as possible after.
- Not keeping copies. Save proof of every upload, fax, letter, and call.
Resumen en español
En Colorado, TANF se llama Colorado Works. Puede ayudar a familias elegibles con niños con asistencia en efectivo, apoyo para trabajo, capacitación y otros servicios. Puede solicitar por Colorado PEAK o con la oficina de servicios humanos de su condado.
Si tiene una emergencia, como desalojo, corte de servicios, falta de comida, falta de cuidado infantil o peligro por violencia doméstica, dígalo al trabajador del condado. Si no es seguro cooperar con manutención infantil, pregunte por “Good Cause”. Guarde copias de todos los documentos y avisos.
Frequently asked questions
Is TANF in Colorado the same as Colorado Works?
Yes. Colorado Works is Colorado’s name for the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Can I apply if I am pregnant?
Yes, CDHS says a person who is pregnant may apply. The county will decide if the household meets all program rules.
How much cash will I get?
The amount depends on your household and county review. Use PEAK and ask the county for the written budget instead of relying on old online amounts.
Do I have to work while getting Colorado Works?
Many adults have work or activity rules, but plans can vary. Ask for your plan in writing and request changes if child care, safety, disability, pregnancy, or transportation is a barrier.
Do I have to cooperate with child support?
Often yes, but there are safety exceptions. If cooperation could put you or your children at risk, ask your Colorado Works worker about Good Cause.
What if I am denied or sanctioned?
Read the notice, call the county, ask for the reason in writing, and ask how to appeal. Contact Colorado Legal Services if you need help with a public benefits problem.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.