Answers to Common Questions We Get at NFI

What does National Fatherhood Initiative^® do?

National Fatherhood Initiative® works to increase father involvement by equipping human service organizations and communities with the father-engagement training, programs, and resources they need to be father-inclusive..
Learn more about our mission and values here.

Does National Fatherhood Initiative^® offer fatherhood classes for dads?

No. Surprised? It's because NFI is what's known as a "capacity-building organization". We specialize in equipping organizations that serve families (i.e. direct service providers) with training and resources to offer programs to fathers. Our work with fatherhood practitioners (who work with hundreds of thousands of fathers per year) multiplies our impact ten-fold! 

You can find organizations that have recently offered NFI programs and resources on our FatherSource™ Program Locator.

Is National Fatherhood Initiative^® a government entity?

No. NFI is an independent, private, 501c3 non-profit organization that pre-dates most government-run and government-funded fatherhood programs. In fact, we helped many state governments launch their inaugural fatherhood programs in the 1990s, most of which continue to serve fathers in their communities today.

Is National Fatherhood Initiative^® a religious-based organization?

No. National Fatherhood Initiative® is a non-sectarian, non-partisan, non-profit organization. We do, however, partner with faith-based organizations (e.g. Christian, Jewish, Islamic, etc.) to build their capacity to more effectively engage fathers.

How is National Fatherhood Initiative^® funded?

National Fatherhood Initiative® receives the vast majority of its funding (revenue) from the sale of programs and other resources, training, technical assistance, and services. We receive very little funding from individual donations and private foundations. If you would like details on our funding, please visit our profiles at Candid (formerly, GuideStar) profile (candid.org) and Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org) where you can find the latest publicly available information (e.g. financials) on NFI. (You will need to set up a free account to review those details.)

Where does National Fatherhood Initiative^® work?

National Fatherhood Initiative^® programs and resources are used in all 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Territories, and other countries. U.S. military bases all over the world use NFI programs. We have distributed over 10.3 million fatherhood resources around the world.

Does National Fatherhood Initiative^® provide assistance with child custody issues?

National Fatherhood Initiative^® does not provide legal counsel for child custody cases. If you are having custody issues, please contact Parent Help, a service of Child Find of America at 1-800-716-3468 or visit their website for more information.

Does National Fatherhood Initiative^® advocate for fathers' rights issues?

National Fatherhood Initiative^® does not advocate for fathers' rights, and does not provide advice on legal matters related to the family court system. We recommend that you contact Parent Help at 1-800-716-3468 for free, confidential telephone assistance for dads and moms on finding solutions to visitation disputes, mediating co-parenting plans, and understanding custody, child support, and the court system.

How does National Fatherhood Initiative^® measure success?

First, we measure our success via independent evaluations of the impact of our core fatherhood programs. (Click here to view those evaluations.)

Second, we receive letters, emails, and pictures, from fathers and families across the country who have experienced an NFI program. For success stories, visit our page on How We Measure Impact.

Third, we measure our success through the built-in evaluation tools contained in many of our fatherhood skill-building programs and other resources.

Finally, we measure our success by assessing the increased capacity of organizations to serve fathers as a result of NFI's capacity building tools and programs. To learn more, please see the National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity Building Initiative report here.

Is there a National Fatherhood Initiative^®chapter near me?  Can you refer me to a local organization running a fatherhood program?

We are not a membership-based organization and do not have local chapters. However, you can find organizations that have recently offered NFI programs and resources on our FatherSource™ Program Locator.

Have another question? Contact Us!