The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation seeks applications for cooperative agreements to create an African American Child and Family Research Center. The proposed Center will lead and support research on the needs of African American populations that are served by ACF programs and will help identify promising approaches to promote social and economic well-being among low-income African American populations. Key topics of interest for the Center will include research on educational and employment experiences and outcomes, experiences with human services, discrimination, effects of criminal justice system involvement, program evaluation, and distinctive experiences in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Applications are due by July 12, 2021.

This journal article is the result of a qualitative study informed by Arditti’s Family Inequality Framework. The study features interviews with 19 fathers who were recently released from prison and data gathered through a brief background survey. Four main themes identified in the study were parenting from prison, committed fathering, outside influences on parenting, and recreating oneself. The fathers identified factors that created barriers in maintaining contact and communication with their children while being incarcerated, such as personal challenges, systemic barriers (such as housing, employment, and the criminal justice system), and parental challenges.

This infographic from the National Fatherhood Initiative shares that 18.3 million children in the United States are without their biological father in the home. It details how children are affected in father-absent homes, including teen pregnancy, as teens are seven times more likely to become pregnant; child abuse, as children are more likely to face abuse and neglect; and behavioral problems. Data used in the infographic was retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau.

This National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse brief provides information and action steps that fatherhood programs can use to help unmarried fathers understand and navigate their circumstances and options. Highlighted action steps include creating a parenting plan, finding out whether free or low-cost programs and services are available to unmarried fathers, attending negotiation conferences, and consistently complying with a parenting time schedule.

This brief by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse analyzes data on the amount and frequency of formal and informal child support payments. The analysis included fathers aged 20-49 who reported living apart from at least one biological or adopted child aged 18 or younger and used data from the 2015-2017 National Survey of Family Growth. Highlights of the analysis were the reported frequency of support payments, which varied according to the father’s employment status.

This video series, available through the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, encourages fathers to show their “Dadication” to their children. The videos exhibit how fathers make time and show up for their children, even when facing common stressors like financial burdens and busy schedules.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Family-Centered Community Change (FCCC) is a two-generation effort in Buffalo, New York; Columbus, Ohio; and San Antonio, Texas. This report estimates the staff labor costs for two-generation coordination and integration in these three communities, which may assist other localities and nonprofit service providers in budget planning, specifically for partnership development and coordinated service delivery.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation report provides data that assesses the third cohort of Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) grantees following their grant award in 2015. Data snapshots cover client recruitment and characteristics through the end of the grant in 2020. The data highlights staffing and implementation, services offered to support healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood, and other program components.

The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation has released a funding opportunity announcement to provide funding and technical support for evaluation-related activities to organizations implementing interventions to improve self-sufficiency among families with low incomes. These 24-month cooperative agreements are intended for organizations that seek to strengthen and evaluate coordinated, client-centered approaches to improving self-sufficiency. No prior experience in research and evaluation is required. Grantees will work with federally funded, third-party evaluation technical assistance providers that will offer customized support to recipients in designing, implementing, and evaluating their proposed interventions. A letter of intent is due by June 2, 2021 and a full application is due by July 2, 2021.

The third bi-annual Aspen Forum on Children and Families will be held on June 7, 2021 and June 8, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET on both days. This virtual forum includes panel discussions, keynote speakers, and breakout sessions covering two-generation (2Gen) approaches as well as resources and tools needed to strengthen families, communities, and the country. The Forum also features the release of The State of 2Gen, which synthesizes 10 years of the field's accomplishments and identifies policy recommendations to support families with improved health, education, and employment outcomes.