The Fatherhood Funding You’re Looking For Is Already There—You’re Just Not Seeing It Yet

If you work in a nonprofit, you’ve probably had some version of this conversation: “We know father engagement matters, we just don’t have the funding to support it.”

That’s a reasonable conclusion if you’ve looked only for funding dedicated to programs, initiatives, and other father-inclusive efforts. Unfortunately, this funding has been extremely limited. Outside of federal Responsible Fatherhood grants and a few private foundations, there have been few opportunities that say, “This is for fathers.”

But here’s the reality: The problem isn’t limited funding. It’s a lack of awareness about where funding exists.

There are public and private dollars that can support father-inclusive efforts, even if they aren’t labeled as such. Nonprofits nationwide are using them to support fathers, strengthen families, and improve children's outcomes. They’ve found the hidden opportunity.

The Hidden Opportunity

What you might not realize is that some of the largest and most flexible public and private funding streams can be used for father-inclusive efforts. These streams include those targeting poverty reduction, child abuse prevention, workforce development, home visiting, education, reentry from incarceration, and more. While none of these screams, “Use me to strengthen father involvement!,” you can use them nonetheless by adopting a different mindset.

A Different Mindset

This mindset focuses on aligning father inclusion with the outcomes funding sources want to see. A growing number of nonprofits have adopted this mindset. They’re using a variety of funding sources to support father-inclusive efforts. Adopting this mindset requires creative thinking that sees linkages rather than silos. It requires seeing how the outcomes your nonprofit cares about are affected by a lack of father involvement in children’s lives. It also requires a whole-family approach that includes a commitment to engaging fathers as mission-critical. And when you acquire funding to support fathers, it requires finding other funding to sustain that work.

Leveraging This Mindset

To help you leverage this mindset, National Fatherhood Initiative® has created Hidden in Plain Sight: Funding Sources for Father-Inclusive Efforts. This practical tool provides:

• Examples of public and private funding streams that have and can be used to support father-inclusive efforts.
• Examples of states and local governments using public funds that nonprofits are accessing.
• Guidance on aligning your programming with funding priorities.
• Ideas on how to combine public and private funding to support father-inclusive efforts.

And if you need to persuade others to adopt this mindset, don’t hesitate to share this tool so they can start seeing the link between father involvement and your nonprofit’s mission!

How could blending multiple funding sources improve the sustainability of your current or future work with fathers?

What nontraditional funding sources (e.g., settlement funds, prevention dollars, local government allocations) could you explore to fund your work with fathers?