A Model for Using The $154 Billion Man Report

As co-publisher of the $154 Billion Man Report: The Economic Argument for Investing in Fathers, National Fatherhood Initiative^® has been encouraged by how human service organizations across the country are reacting to its findings. One example stands out as a model others can emulate.

In a recent blog article, Kenneth Braswell, founder and CEO of Fathers Incorporated (Atlanta, GA), highlights why the report matters—and how it can strengthen the work human service organizations are already doing with fathers and families.

Kenneth is especially clear about the report’s strengths, such as its rigorous methodology. But what he does so well is home in on the report’s broader implications for the human service organizations dedicated to supporting fathers:

“For too long, fatherhood work has been forced to justify itself in the language of sentiment alone. We have been pressured to plead for attention, to prove that fathers are not optional, to defend dads against stereotypes that treat men as either villains who need punishment or accessories who deserve praise only when convenient. This report equips us to speak a third language, one that budget directors and appropriators understand immediately. It does not merely say, ‘Fathers are good.’ It says, ‘The way we are currently absorbing father absence is expensive, and much of that expense shows up in predictable places.’”

That clarity matters. Kenneth points out that the report doesn’t introduce new ideology; it synthesizes well-established research into a compelling economic case that strengthens advocacy without oversimplifying the realities families face.

Just as important is how Fathers Incorporated plans to use the report. Kenneth outlines several ways it will directly inform and enhance their work that include:

• Embedding the report into storytelling. The report provides credible, national-level economic data that Fathers Incorporated can use in webinars, briefs, toolkits, and op-eds.
• Expansion of their program model to reach more fathers. Their model ties into many of the report’s recommendations, such as stabilizing fatherhood programs and relationship education.
• Addressing family law reforms that increase father involvement. Fathers Incorporated advocates for these reforms. The report will help show the economic consequences of family instability, while at the same time ensuring that mothers’ and children’s safety remain a priority.

This is exactly how we hoped human service organizations would envision using The $154 Billion Man Report: not as a standalone publication, but as a tool organizations can adapt to amplify their impact. Kenneth Braswell and Fathers Incorporated demonstrate how national research can strengthen local action—without losing nuance, dignity, or focus on families. I encourage you to read his article, as he describes other ways Fathers Incorporated will use the report and general ideas for how other human service organizations can, too.

And don’t delay in downloading your copy of the report today!

Have you downloaded and read The $154 Billion Man Report?

Do you want concrete ideas for using the report? You’ll find those ideas in a two-page guide following the report.