Last updated: July 15, 2026
Bottom line
Wyoming calls its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program Personal Opportunities With Employment Responsibilities, or POWER. The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) runs the program. POWER can provide temporary cash help to very low-income families with children while an adult follows an employment or self-sufficiency plan.
Wyoming has two main paths. POWER Work is for parents and caregivers who need cash assistance and work support. POWER Caretaker Relative helps relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles, who care for children whose parents are not in the home.
Start with the official DFS cash assistance page. Download the application, submit it to DFS, and contact your local office for an appointment. For a wider state overview, use the ASMOM Wyoming help hub and Wyoming assistance guide.
POWER is not guaranteed cash. DFS reviews income, resources, household members, child support cooperation, work participation, and other rules. The national TANF cash guide explains why state rules differ.
If you need help today
POWER is not usually same-day help. Apply if you may qualify, but use faster services at the same time when food, shelter, heat, transportation, or safety cannot wait.
- Call Wyoming 211 by dialing 211 or 1-888-425-7138. Ask about food, rent, utilities, diapers, transportation, and local programs.
- Use the Food Bank of Wyoming network for pantries and emergency food.
- Call 911 if you or a child is in immediate danger. The Wyoming survivor network lists local domestic violence and sexual assault programs.
The ASMOM Wyoming emergency guide lists more urgent-help paths. Apply for Wyoming SNAP help if food is short.
Where to start
You are the child’s parent
Ask DFS about POWER Work. A Workforce Services case manager may help build an Individual Responsibility Plan.
You are a relative caregiver
Ask about POWER Caretaker Relative. Wyoming says only the child’s income and resources are counted for this path.
You have a work barrier
Tell DFS about child care, transportation, illness, disability, housing, or safety problems before you miss an activity.
You need several programs
Apply for food, child care, health coverage, and utility help separately. POWER does not replace those programs.
Quick reference
| Question | Wyoming answer | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| What is POWER? | Wyoming’s TANF cash assistance program. | It is temporary and approval is not guaranteed. |
| Where do I apply? | Download the DFS application and contact a local office. | Wyoming does not use a general online POWER portal. |
| What is the resource limit? | $5,000 for the assistance unit. | Two registered and licensed vehicles may be excluded. |
| What is a benefit example? | $781 for a three-person POWER Work family with no income. | Your amount may be lower. |
| Can I appeal? | Yes, usually within 30 days of an adverse notice. | POWER benefits do not continue during the appeal. |
How Wyoming POWER works
The official program is a pay-after-performance cash program. This means payment is tied to the family’s approved plan and required participation. A POWER Work participant usually works with a Department of Workforce Services case manager.
The POWER Work page says case managers help families build Individual Responsibility Plans. Activities may include job search, resume help, interviews, skills training, parenting work, budgeting, recovery activities, or other steps that fit the family’s needs.
The Caretaker Relative program is different. It helps a relative who has daily care and control of a child when the parents are not in the home. The caretaker’s own income and resources are not counted, but the child’s income and resources are reviewed.
POWER may also help with employment costs after approval. Examples on the state page include work clothes, transportation, vehicle repairs, tools, equipment, and relocation costs. These services depend on the approved plan and available funding.
Current income, resources, and benefit amounts
Wyoming updated its POWER income table for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The table is more complex than one simple income cutoff. It includes household size, earned-income rules, shelter status, and payment levels.
The resource limit remains $5,000 for the assistance unit. Countable resources can include checking and savings accounts, income-producing property, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Wyoming allows two registered and licensed vehicles to be excluded from personal assets.
| Case example | Current state example | What can change it |
|---|---|---|
| POWER Work | Three people with no income may receive $781 monthly. | Income, household size, shelter status, and participation. |
| Caretaker Relative | One child with no income or resources may receive $259 monthly. | The child’s income, resources, and household facts. |
| Employment support | Approved help may cover work-related needs. | The case plan, need, approval, and funding. |
The current benefit page uses these examples. They are not promised payments. Ask DFS for the written calculation if your amount is lower than expected.
Who may qualify
DFS decides each case. In general, a family must live in Wyoming, include a dependent child, meet citizenship or qualified noncitizen rules for people requesting assistance, and meet income and resource rules.
A parent applying for POWER Work should expect questions about income, resources, household members, work history, child care, transportation, health limits, housing, and child support. DFS may also ask about school attendance for older children and minor parents.
A relative caregiver should clearly ask for the Caretaker Relative program. The child’s parent generally must not live in the home, and the relative must have daily care and control of the child.
Use the current table
Do not rely on an old income chart from social media or another website. Wyoming’s table changed on July 1, 2026. Ask DFS which shelter and income column applies to your case.
How to apply for POWER
- Download the application. Use the application linked on the DFS cash assistance page.
- Submit it to DFS. The state accepts applications and proof through a local office, mail, fax, or the program email listed on the official page.
- Keep proof. Save a sent email, fax report, mail receipt, or date-stamped copy.
- Complete the interview. After submitting the TANF application, call 1-307-777-8550 for the interview line during listed hours, or arrange an in-person interview.
- Send requested records. Put your full name and date of birth in the subject line when emailing POWER records, as DFS instructs.
- Read the notice. It should explain approval, denial, missing proof, payment, or the next required step.
Use the DFS office finder for case questions and status updates. The interview line is only for completing interviews, not for checking a pending case. General POWER questions can be directed to the program manager at 307-473-3948.
Documents and information to gather
Apply even if one paper is missing, then ask DFS what other proof it can accept. The ASMOM documents checklist can help you build one folder.
| What to prove | Examples | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Driver’s license, state ID, school ID, or passport | Confirms who is applying. |
| Children and care | Birth, school, custody, guardianship, or kinship records | Shows which children are in the home. |
| Wyoming address | Lease, utility bill, shelter letter, or mailed notice | Shows state residence. |
| Income | Pay stubs, employer letter, support, unemployment, or benefits | Used to test eligibility and set payment. |
| Resources | Bank records, savings, investments, and property records | Used for the $5,000 resource test. |
| Barriers | Child care notice, repair bill, medical note, or court paper | May affect the work plan or support services. |
Work rules, participation, and support
POWER Work participants must follow an approved Individual Responsibility Plan. The state says weekly participation is required to receive payment. The number of hours depends on family composition and federal TANF rules.
A single custodial parent with a child under age 6 generally has a lower federal participation standard than other work-eligible adults. Your case manager sets the actual activities and schedule. Do not assume that every family receives the same plan.
Tell the case manager quickly if child care, transportation, illness, disability, housing, court, or family safety makes an activity hard to complete. Ask what proof is needed and whether the activity can be changed.
Wyoming says POWER can help with child care and transportation. Use the ASMOM Wyoming child care guide and Wyoming transportation guide for related state resources.
People dealing with a temporary illness or injury may still receive case-management support while recovering or waiting for a disability decision. The ASMOM Wyoming healthcare guide lists coverage options.
Child support cooperation and safety
Wyoming says an approved POWER family must cooperate with child support services. The child support rule says services are provided at no cost.
If cooperation may put you or your child in danger, tell DFS that you need to make a child support good-cause claim. Wyoming’s POWER notices include good-cause approval and denial decisions. Ask how to submit the claim and what safe proof can be used.
Safety caution
This article is not legal or safety advice. If abuse, stalking, threats, custody, or immigration concerns are involved, ask for a private meeting and contact a trained advocate or lawyer before taking a step that may increase danger.
The ASMOM Wyoming child support guide explains agency services. The Wyoming legal guide lists civil legal help.
The five-year POWER limit
Wyoming generally limits adult POWER assistance to five years. Months of cash assistance received in Wyoming, another state, or a U.S. territory can count toward the limit. A partial payment month can count as a full month.
The five-year policy lists exceptions and hardship extensions. A non-parent caretaker who is not part of the grant may continue receiving help for eligible children in some cases. DFS also reviews some cases for extensions involving domestic violence, severe disability, full-time care of a disabled family member, or abandonment.
Extensions are not automatic. The state begins reviewing some cases around month 53. Participation, eligibility, and child support rules can continue during an extension.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using an old income table. The current table began July 1, 2026.
- Calling the interview line for status. Call your local office for case questions.
- Missing weekly participation. Contact the case manager before or as soon as a problem happens.
- Leaving out resources. DFS checks countable assets and may verify bank records.
- Ignoring child support mail. Ask for good cause if cooperation is unsafe.
- Throwing away notices. The notice date controls appeal deadlines.
If POWER is denied, delayed, reduced, or stopped
Read the notice. Check the reason, action date, and hearing instructions. Common problems include missing records, income over the limit, resources over $5,000, work noncompliance, child support noncooperation, the five-year limit, or a household member being counted incorrectly.
The hearing policy says DFS must accept a POWER hearing request within 30 days of the adverse notice. The request should be in writing. An informal conference may also be held, but it does not replace the hearing request.
Unlike SNAP, POWER benefits do not continue while the hearing is pending. Use the ASMOM denied benefits guide to track the notice, proof, calls, and deadline.
Legal Aid public benefits may help some low-income Wyoming residents. Capacity and case rules apply. Call 1-877-432-9955 during the listed weekday hours.
Other Wyoming help to check
POWER may not cover every basic need. Apply for separate programs that fit your family.
- Use Wyoming WIC applications for pregnancy, infants, and children under 5. The ASMOM Wyoming WIC guide gives more steps.
- Use the official Medicaid application page for Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP.
- Use the child care assistance page if care is needed for work, school, or an approved activity.
- The current LIEAP page says the 2025-2026 season is closed and the next application period opens in early fall 2026. The ASMOM Wyoming utility guide lists backup help.
- Use Wyoming SUN Bucks for the 2026 summer food benefit. Applications are due August 31, 2026.
If rent or housing is the larger problem, use the ASMOM Wyoming housing guide.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling DFS to apply
“Hello, I want to apply for Wyoming POWER. Can you tell me how to submit the application, how to get proof it was received, and how to schedule my interview?”
Calling about missing proof
“My notice says a document is missing. What exact record do you need, what is the deadline, and what other proof can you accept if I cannot get it?”
Calling about a work barrier
“I want to follow my POWER plan, but I have a child care, transportation, health, housing, or safety problem. What change or support can I request, and what proof is needed?”
Calling about an appeal
“I received a POWER notice dated [date]. I disagree with the decision. How do I submit a written hearing request, and can I receive a copy of my budget and case records?”
Resumen en español
En Wyoming, TANF se llama POWER. Es ayuda temporal en efectivo para algunas familias con niños. Hay un programa para padres que trabajan con un plan de empleo y otro para familiares que cuidan a un niño cuyos padres no viven en el hogar.
Solicite con el formulario de DFS y contacte a su oficina local. El límite de recursos es $5,000. Una familia de tres sin ingresos puede recibir hasta $781 en el ejemplo oficial, pero la cantidad real puede ser menor.
Si le niegan o terminan POWER, lea la carta. Generalmente tiene 30 días para pedir una audiencia por escrito. Los pagos de POWER no continúan mientras espera la decisión.
FAQ
What is TANF called in Wyoming?
Wyoming calls TANF Personal Opportunities With Employment Responsibilities, or POWER. DFS runs POWER Work and POWER Caretaker Relative.
How much does POWER pay?
Wyoming’s current example is $781 for a three-person POWER Work family with no income. A one-child caretaker-relative case with no income or resources may receive $259.
What is the resource limit?
The assistance unit generally must have $5,000 or less in countable resources. Wyoming may exclude two registered and licensed vehicles.
Do I have to complete work activities?
POWER Work participants usually must follow an Individual Responsibility Plan and complete weekly activities. Tell the case manager quickly when a serious barrier affects participation.
What if child support is unsafe?
Tell DFS that you need to make a child support good-cause claim. Ask for a private meeting and contact a qualified advocate or lawyer.
How do I appeal a POWER decision?
Submit a written hearing request within 30 days of the adverse notice. POWER payments do not continue while the hearing is pending.
Last updated: July 15, 2026
Next review: October 15, 2026
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 July 15, 2026, next review October 15, 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.