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Office of Family Assistance
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| Name of Grantee: | Auburn University |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | Non-married parents, premarital couples, and married couples with an emphasis on addressing step-family couple needs. In addition, some marriage education will be provided to youth (high-school age). |
| Federal Award Amount: | $1,660,798.00/ year |
| Program Name: | Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (ACHMI) |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 1 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); Education in high schools on the value of marriage (#2); Marriage education, marriage skills and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3); Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples interested in marriage (#4); and marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: The Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative, facilities, faculty, student work, etc. will be housed within Auburn University’s Center for Children, Youth and Families and within the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. AU will be partnering with the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF). AU and CTF will partner with 7 Family Resource Centers around the state,who will, in turn, partner with local community and faith-based organizations to provide marriage education and services.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to improve the quality of life for Alabama residents by raising public awareness of the importance of healthy, stable marriages for child, family and community well-being; promoting access to healthy marriage resources; training an ever-increasing number of community members and professionals in methods of best practices for marriage education and community building; and supporting 7 targeted community healthy marriage initiatives by providing programming for youth, non-married parents, premarital couples and married couples. Some aspects of this project will target the whole state of Alabama’s population broadly. Other aspects will target 5 rural counties (Etowah, Escambia, Chambers, Talladega, and Houston) and 2 larger counties (Morgan and Tuscaloosa) of rural and urban populations. The grantee is anticipating an average audience of 40 at their workshops which would result in 2400 participants – a total of 16,800 youth and adults per year across these 7 counties.
| Name of Grantee: | Elizabeth’s New Life Center, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | High school students, pre-marital and married couples, low-income, low-educated, and un-wed or expectant parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $1,754,872/year |
| Program Name: | Marriage Works! Collaborative |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 1 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); Education in high schools on the value of marriage (#2); Marriage education, marriage skills and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3); Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples interested in marriage (#4); marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5); and marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities (#7).
Organization Description: Elizabeth’s New Life Center (ENLC) is a faith-based, non-profit organization whose mission is to empower individuals to achieve sexual integrity and make healthy life choices respecting the value of each person. ENLC will serve as the lead organization for this grant. ENLC was a founding member of the “Miami Valley Marriage Coalition” and has provided marriage education as part of its services for a few years. Partnering organizations include: Bridge Ministries, Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, Family Violence Prevention Center of Greene County, Montgomery County Job and Family Services, Ohio State University - Montgomery County Extension, and PregnancyCare of Cincinnati, etc.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to provide marriage education, program outreach and media campaigns, and high school education to over 18,000 participants over a 5 year period. ENLC plans to strengthen existing marriages and overcome barriers to marriage that exist within unmarried couples by providing them with skills-based training and a supportive, educational environment.
| Name of Grantee: | First Things First, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | Married and unmarried residents of Chattanooga, TN and the surrounding area in Hamilton County. |
| Federal Award Amount: | $1,099,953/year |
| Program Name: | First Things First, Community Saturation Model |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 2 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); education in high schools on the value of marriage (#2); marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3); pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples interested in marriage (#4); marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5); and divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills (#6).
Organization Description: First Things First is a non-profit organization established in 1997 to specifically combat the high divorce rate of the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, TN. They have been providing healthy marriage education and family life education since and have contributed to the 33.6% decrease of divorce filings and the 25.4% decrease in the divorce rate in their area.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to conduct a public advertising campaign, equip 100 non-married expectant parents a year with marriage education, provide premarital education to a minimum of 1,000 individuals a year for 5 years, provide marriage enrichment and skills training for 500 married couples each year for 5 years, conduct a divorce reduction program using the “Divorce Busting,” “The Magic of Love: Relationship Enhancement” curricula to a minimum of 75 couples each year, and provide education to 5,000 high school students a year using “Connections” and “Love U2” curricula.
| Name of Grantee: | PAIRS Foundation, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | Residents of Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, in Southern Florida. |
| Federal Award Amount: | $990,000/year |
| Program Name: | PAIRS Relationship Skills for Strong South Florida Families |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 2 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); education in high schools on the value of marriage (#2); marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3); pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples interested in marriage (#4); marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5); divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills (#6); and marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities (#7).
Organization Description: The PAIRS Foundation is a non-profit organization that is a research, development and training institute established in 1984, to create curriculum-based relationship skills programs that promote healthy marital and family relationships and to train instructors to make this knowledge broadly available. Partner Agencies include: Memorial Healthcare System, YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, Broward County Sheriff’s Office of Child Protective Investigations, Henderson Mental Health Services, and Public School System in each county, etc.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to conduct a public advertising campaign using the internet, producing and posting brochures and posters, information booths at events, etc. to reach all residents of the tri-county region; will provide marriage education to non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers using audio, video and classes; will provide pre-marital education to 500 couples annually using the PAIRS curriculum; will provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training to 525 couples annually using the PAIRS curriculum in local community and faith-based partnerships; will recruit married couples to be role models and mentors for struggling married couples; and will provide education in 10 high schools annually using the PAIRS for PEERS curriculum.
| Name of Grantee: | Family Resources, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | Residents of Pinellas and Manatee counties, FL who are married or interested in marriage. |
| Federal Award Amount: | $1,093,365/year |
| Program Name: | Tampa Bay Healthy Marriage Initiative |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 2 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3); pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples interested in marriage (#4); marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5); divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills (#6); and marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities (#7).
Organization Description: Family Resources is a private, nonprofit organization with a mission to strengthen families and build better communities in the Tampa Bay, Florida region by providing prevention, support and counseling services to children, youth, and families. Partner agencies include: Pinellas County Domestic Violence Task Force, Hope Family Services, Religious Community Services, St. Petersburg College, Pinellas County Schools, etc.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to conduct a public awareness campaign using PSAs, television, radio, internet, billboards, etc. to reach all residents of the Tampa Bay area; will assist 125 non-married expectant parents annually in forming healthy relationships using the PREP curriculum; will assist 350 individuals and couples considering marriage using the PREP program; will provide opportunities for 340 married couples annually to reinforce existing marriage skills and acquire new skills; and will also hold annual Healthy Relationships Conferences for 150 attendees annually to get the marriage message out to a larger audience; and will assist 410 divorcing or fragile participants in a divorce reduction program.
| Name of Grantee: | Live the Life Ministries, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Married and unmarried couples |
| Federal Award Amount: | $549,985/year |
| Program Name: | Tallahassee Healthy Marriage Campaign |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 3 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); pre-marital education and
marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or persons interested in marriage (#4); marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5); divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills (#6); and marriage mentoring programs, which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities (#7).
Organization Description: Live the Life Ministries, Inc. was founded in 1998 and was established to strengthen marriages and families. The organization is recognized in the marriage movement as having organized and developed one of the largest and most successful city-based healthy marriage initiatives in America.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to target and spark a “marriage renaissance” in “The Big Bend of Florida”, which encompasses eight Florida counties with a collective population of approximately 414,942. In collaboration with a number of partner organizations, Live the Life Ministries, Inc. will implement the following allowable activities: launch a public marriage advertising campaign to reach all the residents of these counties, offer premarital education and skills training to 2100 individuals, marriage enhancement and divorce reduction programs to 6,400 individuals over 5 years and launch a mentoring program featuring relationship skills training.
| Name of Grantee: | The Hive Creative Group, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | Pre-marital and married couples, expectant young women and their cohabitating partners, and all high school age teens across the state of Alabama |
| Federal Award Amount: | $550,000/year |
| Program Name: | Just the Facts…Straight Talk About Marriage (JTF) |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 3 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); education in high schools on the value of marriage (#2); marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3); pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples interested in marriage (#4); marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5); divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills (#6); and marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities (#7).
Organization Description: The Hive Creative Group has extensive experience in promoting healthy lifestyles and abstinence-until-marriage messages. They have implemented successful media campaigns, organized and facilitated a statewide youth leadership conference, and co-organized the statewide Alabama Abstinence Educators Coalition. Throughout the years, Hive has developed programs that address healthy lifestyles and has entered into partnerships with schools and other health organizations to deliver these programs.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Hive Creative Group plans to create, “Just the Facts…Straight Talk About Marriage,” a multi-faceted campaign stressing the importance of a healthy marriage and the positive impact an intact family has on children. By working collaboratively with marriage enrichment programs, in-school programs targeting teens and media outlets across the state, the program will address the need for children to have a loving, intact family with both parents in the home. The approach is two-fold; to create a strong, state-wide educational outreach component for all marriage educators and to create a multi-faceted media campaign which will reach all 67 counties across the state.
| Name of Grantee: | Fountain of Life International Ministries, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Couples in Broward County, Florida |
| Federal Award Amount: | $438,383/year |
| Program Name: | Fountain of Life International Ministries Healthy Marriage for Low-Income Program |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 4 (one allowable activity) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: Fountain of Life International Ministries, Inc.’s mission is to be a leading force and authority in the ministry of strengthening families and married couples. The organization has been serving couples and families for over 15 years and serves 10-12 couples per quarter by teaching marriage enrichment classes.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Fountain of Life International Ministries Healthy Marriage for Low-Income Program plans to provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for low-income married couples. Some of the program’s objectives are to improve couples’ mental health, reduce stressors that impede marriage and provide a support system for participating couples that focuses on marriage. Marriage enrichment weekends and a marriage mentoring program are some of the activities that will be used to obtain the program’s objectives and goals.
| Name of Grantee: | COPES Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Couples in Jefferson County, Kentucky |
| Federal Award Amount: | $267,370/year |
| Program Name: | Jefferson County Healthy Marriage Initiative |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 5 (one allowable activity) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: The Council on Prevention and Education: Substances was founded in 1981 and since that time has served over 250 local agencies and organizations to teach substance abuse and violence prevention methods. The organization has extensive experience in providing substance abuse and violence prevention services to the metropolitan Louisville area. COPES, Inc. has also developed a curriculum, Creating Lasting Family Connections (CLFC), which is currently used in 46 states.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Jefferson County Healthy Marriage Initiative will provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs to low-income married couples. A feature that makes this program stand out amongst others is that the specific target is ex-offenders and their spouses as their marriages will need more attention than others. Some of the objectives of the program are to increase marital stability of ex-offenders and to increase local capacity to implement evidence-based family interventions with low-income ex-offenders and their families. Some of the expected outcomes are for 80% of participants to both increase their marital satisfaction and increase their knowledge and use of conflict resolution skills. The main activity of the program will be to teach the CLFC curriculum to 100 adults on an annual basis.
| Name of Grantee: | University of Central Florida |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Low-income married couples with children living in Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties, Florida |
| Federal Award Amount: | $247,660/year |
| Program Name: | Together Project |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 5 (one allowable activity) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: The University of Central Florida College’s Florida Marriage and Family Research Institute will take on the responsibility of administering the Together Project. The Institute is affiliated with the Community Counseling Clinic and has three years of relationship education and couple counseling experience. The University of Central Florida will also partner with seven local organizations and agencies to serve the couples.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Together Project will provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs to low-income married couples who have children. The primary objectives of the Together Project are to provide marriage education and family support services to low-income couples and to evaluate their impact on marital quality, marital stability, and child well-being. The Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills (PAIRS) marriage education curriculum will be used in four-month segments for participating groups and the program will follow up with booster sessions for the couples.
| Name of Grantee: | Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Sarasota-Manatee |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $494,542/year |
| Program Name: | Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Sarasota-Manatee |
| Project Period: | 10/01/2006 to 09/30/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 7 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3).
Organization Description: The Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Sarasota-Manatee, Inc is a non-profit organization with a network the counties of Sarasota and Manatee, Florida. According to this organization, they have extensive social services experience and have a proved track record of providing critical services to low-income people.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Sarasota-Manatee, Inc. will implement and evaluate a marriage enrichment program that will target low-income unmarried couples expecting a child. According to the organization, they will use a pilot program as a model to essentially reach out to 288 couples per year by teaching selecting the Loving Couples-Loving Children Program, which uses a multi-media approach specifically developed to engage low-income couples. Furthermore, the curriculum teaches marriages education skills, financial management, conflict resolution skills, and parenting.
| Name of Grantee: | Project S.O.S., Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $454,332/year |
| Program Name: | Project S.O.S. Strengthens Relationship |
| Project Period: | 10/01/2006 to 09/30/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 7 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3).
Organization Description: The Project S.O.S., Inc. is a non-project organization with a social services network within St. John’s County, Florida. According to the organization, they have extensive social services experience of providing critical services to low-income people.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Project S.O.S. plans to implement and evaluate a marriage enrichment program that will target low-income unmarried couples expecting a child. According to the organization, they proposed a 3-tiered approach: (1) Train a minimum of 100 unwed, low-income, unmarried, pregnant/new parents through educational classes held weekly at three crisis pregnancy centers. (2) Provide one-on-one marriage mentoring for unwed, low-income, expectant/new parents. (3) Create a mass media campaign using radio and television to reach over 500,000 people about the benefits of marriage and the components of a healthy relationship.
| Name of Grantee: | Bethany Christian Services, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $500,000/year |
| Program Name: | FRAME-WORKS (Family Relationships Anchored in Marriage Education-Works) |
| Project Period: | 10/01/2006 to 09/30/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 7 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3).
Organization Description: The Bethany Christian Services of Georgia is a non-profit organization with a network that encompasses the ten (10) county metropolitan regions of Atlanta, Georgia, and nearby Muscogee County, which surrounds Columbus, Georgia.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Bethany Christian Services, Inc. plans to provide Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers. They will use a pilot program called “FRAME-WORKS” as a model to essentially reach out to 1100 couples over a five year period by teaching the “Love’s Cradle/Relationship Enhancement” curriculum. Furthermore, they will provide individualized direct services to strengthen the capacity of unwed parents to apply relationship enhancement skills to their lives and the needs of their children.
| Name of Grantee: | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Federal Award Amount: | $375,685/year |
| Program Name: | Strong Couples-Strong Children |
| Project Period: | 01/01/2007 to 12/31/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 7 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3).
Organization Description: The University of North Carolina is a public institution of higher learning located in Chapel Hill, NC. They will be working with the School of Social Work to provide the necessary marriage education within the allowable activity.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Youth Development, Inc plans to implement and evaluate a marriage enrichment program that will target low-income unmarried couples expecting a child. They will use a pilot program as a model to essentially reach out to 565 couples per year by providing ongoing weekly sessions of healthy marriage education classes along with ongoing support services.
| Name of Grantee: | Booneville School Districts |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | High School Students |
| Federal Award Amount: | $548,225/year |
| Program Name: | Booneville Healthy Marriage Initiative |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health (#1) and education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting (#2)
Organization Description: The Booneville School Districts serve approximately 20,500 students in grades 9-12. The Districts are comprised of students from 27 high schools dispersed in 11 school districts and seven counties. A number of these students are enrolled in mainstream schools, alternative schools, day treatment programs, and detention centers.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Booneville Healthy Marriage Initiative will use the funds to implement public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and teach the skills needed to increase marital stability and health; and educate high school students regarding the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting.
| Name of Grantee: | CJH Educational Grant Services, Incorporated |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | Teens and Families in the Enterprise Community of Halifax County and its surrounding cluster of ten counties (i.e., Bertie, Edgecombe, Hertford, Martin, Northampton, Vance Warren, Washington in Congressional District (CD) 1, Vance CD 2, Tyrrell, and Hyde CD 3 |
| Federal Award Amount: | $550,000 |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Matters: Marriage Activities Tailored for Teens through Education, Research and Services |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health (#1) and education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting (#2).
Organization Description: The lead agency, CJH Educational Grant Services, Incorporated, is a private grant-writing implementation company based in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: CJH and partners will use the funds to offer elective courses approved by local school boards, such as, The Alabama Healthy Couples, Healthy Children Project: Relationship Smarts. They will also launch a major community-wide social media campaign promoting the benefits of marriage; host community training, conferences, workshops and provide technical assistance.
| Name of Grantee: | East Carolina University |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | Military (National Guard) couples and families |
| Federal Award Amount: | $514,308/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Life Skills: A Family Readiness Program |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or persons interested in marriage (#4) and marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: East Carolina University (ECU) was founded in 1907.
The University was initially known as a teacher training school and has expanded its reputation and enrollment to offer bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in a number of areas and specializations. ECU has emerged as a national research university with an enrollment of more than 20,000. In partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ECU will implement the Life Skills for Healthy Marriage: A Family Readiness Program.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Universities will use the funds to implement the Life Skills for Healthy Marriage (LSHM) Program, which will provide couples with the information and skills needed to help strengthen their relationship. The Program includes: deployment readiness, financial management, parenting together and apart, couple commitment, communication skills, and problem solving. Family and Consumer Science agents in Cooperative Extension will be trained in LSHM and will provide this resource to National Guard couples within their communities throughout North Carolina.
| Name of Grantee: | Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, Inc |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | 156 distressed couples in nine contiguous Kentucky counties (Bath, Clark, Estill, Madison, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Powell and Rowan |
| Federal Award Amount: | $490,680/year |
| Program Name: | Foothills/Gateway Healthy Marriage Demonstration Program |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills (#6).
Organization Description: Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, (KRFDC) Incorporated was established to develop community resources and opportunities to help integrate disadvantaged persons into the larger community. KRFDC’s primary focus is alleviating the causes and conditions of poverty and dysfunction by actively and substantially involving all segments of the community. The organization serves children, adults and the elderly with a comprehensive approach to family services that recognizes the needs of the entire family must be addressed to help the family effectively function and achieve self-reliance and stability.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: KRFDC will use the program grant funds to provide financial management and conflict resolution services via three venues: 1). Two regional Financial Counseling Resource Centers; 2). Two mobile counseling centers; and 3). Two traveling financial counselors who will provide services at community sites in rural towns. KRFDC will serve a total of 156 distressed couples or 312 participants annually.
| Name of Grantee: | Rockdale Medical Center |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | High School Students in DeKalb, Newton, and Rockdale Counties in Georgia (primarily African-American) |
| Federal Award Amount: | $455,510/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting (#2).
Organization Description: Rockdale Medical Center was established in 1956 to provide quality health care, educational services, and community wellness programs.
The hospital manages more than 100 million dollars each year, employs nearly 1200 people, and is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Rockdale Medical Center (RMC) will implement the Marriage Appreciation Training Uplifting Relationship Education (MATURE) project. MATURE integrates educational strategies that support healthy marriages through the provision of 15 lessons. It will serve 2000 9th through 12th grade students in the tri-county area of DeKalb, Newton, and Rockdale Counties of Georgia, utilizing the “Pairs for Peers and Connections: Relationships and Marriage” curricula.
In addition to marriage appreciation, lessons will address healthy male/female relationships and life-skills information such as dating violence prevention, domestic violence prevention, and budgeting. Activities proposed to accomplish objectives will be achieved through a dual approach (school site and community based). Activities will include a marriage appreciation awareness dinner, an essay competition for students on a marriage related topic, and marriage trading cards with pictures of couples who have been married 25 plus years and their marriage stories and tips for success.
| Name of Grantee: | Florida State University (FSU) |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | College students at Florida State University |
| Federal Award Amount: | $482,943/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or persons interested in marriage (#4).
Organization Description: The Family Institute is a Florida-based resource for strengthening marriage and families, generating new information, training professionals, and informing policy makers regarding marriage and families in Florida, the region, and the nation. Located in Florida’s capital city, the Institute serves as an interdisciplinary source of information about marriage, children and families, and involves recognized experts in the field who serve as resource persons and references. The FSU Family Institute has been in existence for 12 years and stands as a concrete reminder that marriage and family is the foundation of society and the University.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The funds will be used to add a skills-based marriage education program (adapted from PREP- Within My Reach) to a university wide course that will be offered over 14 weeks. They expect to provide marriage education to 10,500 participants over five years, train 42 marriage education providers, and evaluate the effects of the curriculum. The program will strengthen and support healthy marriages through marriage education by increasing the percentage of young adults who have the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions about healthy relationships. This marriage education program for college students will be empirically tested and can be disseminated state-wide and nationally.
| Name of Grantee: | ReCapturing the Vision International, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | Low-income African American and Hispanic 10th-12th graders attending 9 Miami-Dade High Schools |
| Federal Award Amount: | $550,000/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting (#2) and marriage education, marriage skills and relationship skills program that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (#3)
Organization Description: ReCapturing the Vision (RTV) has provided 11 years of service in Broward and Dade Counties. RTV began a pilot program of 30 middle school students, the final outcomes of which indicated reductions in unacceptable behaviors and increases in academic achievement and more importantly, no teen pregnancies that year. The program has been expanded and has been recognized as a Best Practice Model by the Florida Department of Health.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: RTV will provide education in high schools for 520 students on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting as well as, marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers. It will increase the percentage of youth and young adults who are armed and fortified with the necessary skills and knowledge that enable them to make informed decisions about healthy relationships.
The Vessels of Honor and Capturing the Vision (state approved curriculum) will be utilized along with field trips, speakers, and bi-weekly visits by married couples.
The program is designed to be 18 weeks meeting daily for one-hour and totaling 90 sessions.
| Name of Grantee: | Future Foundation |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | Youth ages 15-18 years in South Fulton County, Georgia |
| Federal Award Amount: | $417,232/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting (#2).
Organization Description: Future Foundation is a leader in effective education and prevention services for at-risk youth in Fulton County, Georgia. At the heart of Future Foundation’s mission is a goal to improve the lives of youth by empowering them to achieve success. Their five agency programs provide an extensive community-engaged, education-based module to support the academic, social and physical development of youth.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Future Foundation plans to provide education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting. They will serve 400 youth through 20 hours of Connections curriculum, plus four hours of Love U2 curriculum in booster sessions.
| Name of Grantee: | Georgia State University Research Foundation |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | African Americans in the Atlanta metropolitan area |
| Federal Award Amount: | $497,970/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health (#1) and pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or persons interested in marriage (#4)
Organization Description: Georgia State University (GSU) was founded in 1913 and is located in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It is a major research university, the second largest in Georgia, with more than 40,000 students seeking degrees from every county in Georgia, every state in the nation and more than 145 counties. Under the university-community partnership initiative, GSU is partnering with the National African American Relationships Institute (NAARI), a national community based organization, to expand pre-marriage and marriage education skills taught in the classroom to the broader Atlanta metropolitan as well as the national community.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Georgia State University Research Foundation plans to provide pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or individuals interested in marriage, as well as, conduct public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health. They expect to serve 350 couples the first year and 600 couples in each of the subsequent years using the NAARI eight hour pre-marriage/marriage education curriculum. They also will hold 43 public awareness events in the first year. To accomplish their goals, Georgia State will partner with 20 faith-based and community organizations throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area in the first year, and in the second year, ten additional organizations in the 10 metropolitan areas with the largest population of African Americans.
| Name of Grantee: | Trinity Church, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | 2,000 high school youth in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties; 200 parents of high school youth enrolled in program |
| Federal Award Amount: | $550,000/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006-09/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health (#1) and education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting (#2).
Organization Description: Trinity Church, based in Miami for 46 years, is one of the most ethnically diverse churches, serving Caucasians, African American, Caribbean, Haitian and Hispanic families with a weekly attendance of 3,000. Trinity Peacemakers Family Center (PFC) serves as the base for all social service programs, including the youth department that serves over 500 youth weekly. PFC has administered more than $3 million in funding.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Trinity Church plans to provide education in high schools centered around the knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to benefits of marriage; balanced communication in healthy marriage; characteristics of abusive relationships; and the importance of developing sound financial habits before getting married and having children. They will deliver, Keys to a Healthy Marriage, community presentations to 1400 high school youth each year in South Florida. The curriculum will be provided at Trinity Church, Trinity Family Peacemakers Center, and other faith-based sites. In addition OIC-BC Abstinence Education sites and other collaborating schools and community agencies will be served. Trinity Church will also provide parental support programs for 200 parents of high school youth enrolled in the project and launch a Healthy Marriage Campaign with a kick-off event and subsequent advertising.
| Name of Grantee: | Morehouse College |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | 150 individuals or 75 couples (married, separated, and unmarried) |
| Federal Award Amount: | $549,147/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 9/30/2006 - 9/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or persons interested in marriage (#4) and marriage enhancement and marriage skill training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: Morehouse College – Chivers-Grant Institute for Family and Community Studies is a research and community service unit of the Department of Sociology at Morehouse College. Established in 1938, the Grant Institute’s primary mission is to conduct research and provide services to underserved minority populations. In particular, the Grant Institute has a focus on research and service to improve the life chances of minority males. Since its inception in 1938, the Grant Institute has interacted with a variety of community and faith-based organizations from around the United States.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Morehouse College plans to use grant funds for the following purposes: 1) to assist couples experience an increase in knowledge of the benefits of marriage and strategies for healthy marriages, 2) assist participants in managing conflict, 3) teach participants in the use of the PAIRS Curriculum, 4) teach participants financial planning strategies, 5) assist unemployed and underemployed participants in seeking employment, 6) increase marriage rate of unmarried couples by 25%, and 7) conduct marriage education discussion groups. Approximately 150 clients, or 75 married and unmarried couples, will be provided services per year as measured by intake data.
