Grants / Department of Health and Human Services / Administration for Children and Families - OFA

HHS-2025-ACF-OFA-ZJ-0014: Family, Opportunity, Resilience, Grit, Engagement – Fatherhood (FORGE Fatherhood)

Closed Closed July 29, 2025 Opportunity HHS-2025-ACF-OFA-ZJ-0014 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Administration for Children and Families - OFA notices from 2025.

• Award ceiling$1.3 million
• Award floor$400,000
• Total funding$55.0 million
• Expected awards66
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeCooperative Agreement

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments and tribes.

Eligible applicants are states, territories, Native American tribes and tribal organizations (including state, territorial, and tribal post-secondary educational institutions), and public and nonprofit community entities (including religious organizations and public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education). Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity. Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., ACF will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

More grants for nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Healthy Marriage Promotion and Responsible Fatherhood Grants awards averaged $2.0 million; this notice allows up to $1.3 million per award.
• Most of the program's money (80% over five years) went to nonprofits.
• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) announces its plan to solicit applications for the competitive award of grants that support "activities to promote responsible fatherhood" under each of the three broad categories of promoting or sustaining marriage, responsible parenting, and economic stability activities authorized under Section 403(a)(2) of the Social Security Act. This funding will be targeted exclusively to projects designed for adult fathers, defined as fathers that are age 18 and older. Eligible fathers (or father figures) must have children who are age 24 or younger. Fathers will include those in the general population (or "community fathers"), as well as fathers who are returning, or have returned, to their families and communities, following incarceration. ACF is interested in funding a diverse range of projects, including varying project scopes and populations to be served.

Category: Income Security and Social Services.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.