Our History

Pre-Founding

Social science research emerges showing record numbers of US children living in father absent homes are more likely to suffer negative outcomes across a plethora of child well-being measures.

Prominent civil society scholar Don Eberly organizes meeting of 20 leading social science experts to create a society-wide movement to reverse the trend of father absence.

501c3 non-profit National Fatherhood Initiative®(NFI) founded. First President: Wade Horn; Board Chairman: David Blankenhorn. Board of Directors included Dr. Louis Sullivan and George Gallup. Advisory Board included James Earl Jones, Willard Scott, and Bill Bennett.
NFI convenes the first National Summit on Fatherhood in Dallas, TX attended by scholars, community leaders, practitioners, government officials, and other stakeholders.

Heavy focus on public education and research. NFI leveraged social science research as the basis for raising awareness and encouraging action on the fatherhood issue in government, entertainment and social services sectors.

NFI publishes the first edition of Father Facts. Now in its 8th Edition, Father Facts is the nation's most comprehensive compilation of social science research showing the effects of father absence on children, and the benefits of father involvement.

In partnership with the Ad Council, NFI launches the first national Public Service Advertising Campaign on involved fatherhood. NFI also formed the first bi-partisan Congressional Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood.

Roland Warren named NFI President. Led NFI to offer numerous "on the ground" solutions to organizations at the nexus of children and families dealing with the "consequences of father absence" (such as poverty and crime) in the neighbourhoods.

• NFI starts to build an extensive portfolio of high quality fatherhood skill-building resources, curricula, and training to equip organizations around the country to help men be the best dads they could be.
• NFI releases flagship programs 24/7 Dad®, InsideOut Dad®, and Doctor Dad®. 
• NFI emerges as the #1 provider of fatherhood resources and the #1 trainer of organizations and individuals in the nation.

NFI awarded two, 5-year, US Department of Health and Human Services contracts: one for the National Responsible Capacity-Building Initiative to equip 125 organizations to build their overall capacity to effectively serve fathers; the other for the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse to establish and operate the federal government's efforts to assist states and communities to promote and support responsible fatherhood. 

NFI names Executive Vice President Christopher Brown as NFI President. NFI continues providing the most comprehensive fatherhood resources and training to human service organizations across the country.

NFI clarifies its mission to focus on transforming organizations and communities by equipping them to intentionally and proactively engage fathers in their children's lives. NFI Vision: To see every child to grow up with an involved, responsible, and committed father.

NFI marks 25 years of building capacity in organizations and communities across the country to more effectively engage fathers. NFI thanks and celebrates its thousands of partners without whose contributions NFI could not have realized its positive impact.

NFI further clarifies its mission to National Fatherhood Initiative® works to increase father involvement by equipping communities and human service organizations with the father-inclusive training, programs, and resources they need to be father-inclusive. NFI Vision: Our vision is that all communities and human service organizations are proactively father-inclusive so that every child has an involved, responsible, and committed father in their lives.