Family, Opportunity, Resilience, Grit, Engagement Fatherhood (FORGE Fatherhood)

The Family, Opportunity, Resilience, Grit, Engagement—Fatherhood (FORGE Fatherhood) grant is a federal funding opportunity offered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) under the Office of Family Assistance. This funding is managed by the Family and Economic Stability Demonstration and Innovation Division. It aims to support projects that promote responsible fatherhood through services focused on healthy marriage, responsible parenting, and economic stability. The program is authorized under 42 U.S.C. 603(a)(2) and funded through federal assistance listing number 93.086. The purpose of the FORGE Fatherhood program is to support adult fathers aged 18 and older who have children aged 24 years or younger, including biological, expectant, adoptive, stepfathers, or father figures such as grandfathers or foster fathers. The goal is to provide these fathers with educational and employment-related services that enhance their ability to support their children emotionally and financially, and build stronger families. Grantees must offer curriculum-based workshops with at least 24 hours of instructional time that includes healthy relationship education, parenting skills, and employment support. Case management services are required to provide individualized support and facilitate access to community resources. Funding is offered through cooperative agreements and is projected to total $55,000,000 across approximately 66 awards. Grants range from $400,000 to $1,250,000 per year for a five-year project period, with non-competitive continuation grants offered in years 2 through 5, contingent on satisfactory performance and fund availability. Organizations must choose among three scopes of service—emerging, small, or large—based on their organizational capacity and experience with federally funded Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) projects. Matching funds are not required under this program. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, school districts, tribal organizations, public housing authorities, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations regardless of IRS 501(c)(3) status. Faith-based and community organizations are also eligible. Applicants must ensure a physical presence in the proposed service area and provide services that are father-focused but also open to mothers or expectant mothers. Applications from individuals, sole proprietorships, or foreign entities will not be considered. The program does not support construction, housing subsidies, legal services, or healthcare but encourages partnerships with agencies that provide these services. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by July 29, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The expected project start date is September 30, 2025. Required components include a project narrative, budget narrative, standard federal forms, and various attachments documenting organizational capacity and third-party partnerships. Projects will be evaluated based on the clarity of the proposed approach, capacity to meet program participation targets, quality of partnerships, and commitment to continuous quality improvement and performance measurement using the nFORM system. Technical assistance is available, and a webinar is hosted by ACF for additional guidance. For support, applicants can reach out to the grants management office or refer to the webinar and guidance materials on the ACF website. Organizations are encouraged to start their registration with SAM.gov and Grants.gov well in advance of the deadline due to potential processing delays. The opportunity is listed under opportunity number HHS-2025-ACF-OFA-ZJ-0014.

Begin SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations early; follow webinar and checklist guidance.