The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced $75 million for two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) for competitive grants that support responsible fatherhood activities: 1) Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Grants and 2) Community-Centered Responsible Fatherhood Ex-Prisoner Reentry Pilot Projects. HHS also announced $75 million for two FOAs related to Healthy Marriage and Relationships: 1) Community-Centered Healthy Marriage and Relationship Grants and 2) National Resource Center for Strategies to Promote Healthy Marriage.
In particular, the Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Grants and the Community-Centered Healthy Marriage and Relationship Grants may be of interest to those working on pregnancy planning and prevention, youth development, family formation, and related issues. For example, you may want to reach out to partners in your state or community who ma y be applying for these grants. Applications for these two FOAs were due July 28, 2011.
The Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Grants will provide funds for one-year grants to institutions that develop and implement a comprehensive approach to promoting responsible fatherhood, including activities designed to promote economic stability, responsible parenting, and healthy marriage. HHS intends to continue successful agreements through non-competitive continuation applications for a three-year period if subsequent funding is available. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city governments, independent school districts, Native American Tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations other than institutions of higher education. The Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Grants are administered by HHS’ Office of Family Assistance. The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2011-ACF-OFA-FK-0192.
There may be potential opportunities to incorporate pregnancy planning and prevention in a few areas, such as healthy marriage program activities designed to help fathers improve their relationship skills with partners or spouses, responsible marriage program activities designed to provide parenting education and enhance parent-child relationships, program activities designed to help fathers improve their economic stability by helping them find and retain employment, and coordination with needed supports and services in the community. Program funds must be made accessible to mothers and expectant mothers who are able to benefit from the activities on the same basis as fathers and expectant fathers.
For more information about the Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood FOA, click here.
The Community-Centered Healthy Marriage and Relationship Grants will fund demonstration grants to support programs that offer a broad array of services designed to promote healthy marriage. Applicants are encouraged to provide comprehensive services that address family needs, including both services to improve marriage and relationship skills as well as job and career advancement activities to promote economic stability and self-sufficiency. They must do one or more of eight activities outlined in the FOA. Grants will be for one year but HHS intends to continue successful agreements through non-competitive continuation applications for a three-year period if subsequent funding is available. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city governments, Native American tribal governments, independent school districts, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and for profit organizations. The grants are administered by HHS’ Office of Family Assistance. The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2011-ACF-OFA-FM-0193.
There may be potential opportunities to address pregnancy planning and prevention in a few areas such as education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting; pre-marital education and marriage skills training; and marriage and relationship skills that include parenting skills and financial management. There is a strong focus on program collaboration and partnerships with other agencies and organizations.
For more information about the Community-Centered Healthy Marriage and Relationship Grants FOA, click here.