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-inclusive training, programs, and resources they need to be father inclusive.
Learn more about our mission and solution here.

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

No. Surprised? It's because NFI is 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 tenfold! 

You can find organizations recently offering NFI programs and resources on our Fatherhood 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, starting in the 1990s, we have helped many state and local governments launch their inaugural fatherhood initiatives/programs.

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

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

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 must 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 11.2 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 have custody issues, please contact Parent Help, a Child Find of America service, 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 or advise on legal matters related to the family court system. We recommend contacting 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 nationwide 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 in many of our fatherhood skill-building programs and other resources.

Finally, we measure our success by assessing organizations' increased capacity to serve fathers due to NFI's capacity-building tools and programs. Please see the National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity Building Initiative report here to learn more.

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 recently offering NFI programs and resources on our Fatherhood Program Locator.

Have another question? Contact Us!