In October 2019, FRPN released a Request for Proposal inviting states to apply for small planning grants to develop long-term plans to enhance father inclusion in state programs and policies. Twenty states applied for a nine-month FRPN planning grant and in January 2019, FRPN made awards of $10,000 to 11 states: Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Washington and Wyoming. 

FRPN funders/researchers supported the statewide planning teams by: preparing a logic model for each planning site highlighting their proposed goals and activities; conducting bi-monthly check-in calls to monitor each team’s progress; organizing webinars on fatherhood commissions, fatherhood summits, and engaging with state legislators; and providing teams with site specific technical assistance and resources. At the conclusion of the nine-month grant period, each team was required to submit a written “Goals, Activities and Feedback Report” (the “Action Plan”), in which they provided a final summary of their activities and accomplishments as well as their anticipated next steps.

The research brief available for download below provides an overview of Activities and Challenges drawn from site-specific Action Plans.