PROCESS & SELECTION CRITERIA

The following process applies to all grant-seekers:

Grant-seekers may e-mail their applications for responsible fatherhood capacity-building grants to capacitybuilding@fatherhood.org or submit paper applications following the submission guidelines to the following address:

National Fatherhood Initiative
Attention: Ave M. Mulhern
Executive Coordinator
National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative
1716 Crestview Ave.
Willow Grove, PA 19090

1. Proposals must be received at NFI by 5 PM Eastern Standard Time on February 15, 2008. Mailed proposals must be postmarked no later than 5 PM February 15, 2008. No exceptions
2. Awardees, carefully selected by an independent review panel, will be notified of their status by March 14, 2008.
3. Awards will be posted by 5 PM Eastern Standard Time on March 14, 2008 on our website www.fatherhood.org/grant/index.asp Individual replies will not be provided.
4. Two staff leaders from each selected organization will be required to participate in the fully funded Certification College, on April 21 – 25, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Two leaders must also participate in a two day mini conference several months after the Certification College.

Selections will be made according to the following criteria:

1. As noted, applicants must not be receiving any current funding from the Office of Family Assistance’s Promoting Responsible Fatherhood programs. Applicants may, however, currently receive funding from other federal sources, as well as state or local government funding and private funding (e.g., from family foundations).
2. Applicants may be community-based, faith-based, non-profit or for-profit organizations. Applicants are not required to have 501(c)3 status, nor to identify with a sponsoring organization with 501(c)3 status—but they must either have established fatherhood programs, or else have plans to develop such initiatives, with the goal of supporting responsible fatherhood in their communities.
3. Whenever possible, applicant organizations should draw on proven approaches in their programming, and they must serve a diversity of clients (e.g., not just one religious congregation). In other words, applicants must provide services that are open to all eligible persons, regardless of potential participants’ race, gender, age, religion, or disabilities.
4. Any coalition-partnering organizations should indicate a desire and intention to promote responsible fatherhood by working together as a group to make a comprehensive community impact.
5. Each coalition partner will need to work collaboratively with both NFI and ICF International to accept technical assistance and commit to the changes needed to enable wider and more effective community impact.
6. Especially during the Certification College and follow-up mini-conference, selected organizations must participate in evaluation efforts, which may require data about service participants, organizational structure and program implementation.
7. Applicants must include the provided cover sheet and an Assurance for Domestic Violence Consultation form , signed by each organization head or coalition representative, indicating that the awardees and any coalition partners will accept technical assistance from one or more domestic violence experts, as assigned by NFI in developing action plans. Applicants must also state in writing that funds received through this award will be used solely for approved capacity-building activities that address responsible fatherhood—e.g., leadership development, program development, organizational development and connections with the community.