NFI President Roland Warren is fond of saying, "Each child has a hole in his/her soul in the shape of his/her dad." Moreover, research has shown us that, on average, without involved fathers, kids are more at risk to be poor, become teen parents, fail in school and come in contact with the criminal justice system.

Father absence has high economic costs as well. Our research shows that the federal government spends $100 billion of taxpayer money on programs that support father-absent homes.

That's why, in 1994, National Fatherhood Initiative was created - to ensure that every child has what they need to succeed: the love and support of an involved, responsible and committed father.

Our Mission
To improve the well-being of children by increasing the proportion of children growing up with an involved, responsible, and committed father.

Our Strategy

• Educating and inspiring all Americans
• Equipping organizations and fathers in six different sectors
• Engaging all sectors of society around this issue

Please help us equip fathers and strengthen families. Donate Today.

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EDUCATE | Back to Top |

We're working to educate all Americans, especially fathers, about the important role dads play. There are four key tools we use:

• Public Service Announcements: Over the past 10 years, NFI's public service announcements have earned a record number of spots and almost unprecedented popularity. View public service announcements
• Media Appearances: NFI appears regularly in TV, radio, and print media, including The Oprah Show, The Today Show, C-SPAN, Fox News, the Washington Post, the Washington Times, and others. View recent media
• Research: Partnering with outside scholars, NFI produces a wide variety of research on the effects and costs of father absence, including Father Facts 5, the largest collection of research ever assembled. View research
• Website: The NFI website reaches thousands of individuals each day and the weekly Dad E-mail, filled with parenting hints and tips, is delivered to thousands of inboxes.

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EQUIP | Back to Top |

By working with local, state and national organizations across the country, we have a unique strategy to "go where the dads are," reaching fathers at their point of need with skill building resources to help them be the best dads that they can be.

Our wide variety of resources - brochures, curricula, and CD ROMS, are used by a wide variety of non-profit and for-profit organizations in all 50 states in what we call our six key sectors:

• Community-Based: Organizations that are the backbone of our local and state communities, including YMCAs, schools, Head Starts, family resource centers, and others
• Healthcare: Hospitals, pregnancy resource centers, parenting centers, and other places that ensure the health of children and their families
• Military: All branches of the military are using our resources, in the United States and overseas
• Corrections: Our programming is used in pre-release centers, long stay facilities, youth programs, and prison ministries in all 50 states
• Christian: Both churches and para-church organizations and ministries utilize our resources to equip fathers and strengthen families
• Work-Family Balance: We consult with a variety of Fortune 500 companies, including Verizon, IBM, KPMG, BP, Pacific Life and Blue Cross and Blue Shield to mention a few

In order to help organizations succeed, we offer a variety of capacity-building events - workshops, trainings, and webinars.

FatherSOURCE™, the Fatherhood Resource Center, is the online hub of NFI's equipping efforts. All of our resources can be purchased through FatherSOURCE™.

We also equip fathers directly through a variety of programs and initiatives, including:

• Dad E-mail: Our weekly Dad E-mail is filled with helpful hints, tips, and tricks just for dad! Sign up to receive Dad Email in your inbox
• Dads Club™: The perfect way for dads to show their commitment to their kids, club members get exclusive resources and updates
• Double Duty Dad™: This mentoring program encourages experienced dads to mentor fatherless children or less-experienced fathers
• Skill-building Resources: Dads can purchase interactive CD ROMs and other helpful products through FatherSOURCETM, The Fatherhood Resource Center, at www.fathersource.org

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ENGAGE | Back to Top |

To effectively change the culture, NFI partners with a variety of companies and organizations to raise awareness, create unique and groundbreaking programs, and reach as many fathers and families as possible.

Over the years, NFI has partnered with hundreds of key organizations including:

  

As a part of our engaging efforts, each year NFI holds the Fatherhood Awards Gala to recognize prominent figures and father-friendly companies. Learn more about our Gala, including past sponsors and awardees.

Please help us with our important work. Donate Today.