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Office of Family Assistance
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| Name of Grantee: | Meier Clinics Foundation |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | Low-income married and unmarried couples and individuals and students |
| Federal Award Amount: | $2,000,000/year |
| Program Name: | The Illinois Healthy Marriage Initiative |
| 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); 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: Meier Clinics is a mental health service provider that has been providing services to individuals, families, and groups since 1976. Clinics spearheaded the marriage coalition, CALMA (Chicago Alliance for Latino Marriages), and has provided community leadership in mobilizing regular monthly and quarterly meetings with coalition partners where marriage programs have been offered. Clinics will serve as the fiscal agent, primarily, for this project. Clinics have partnered with a number of organizations in Illinois including: Urban Strategies, CALMA, Confederation of Spanish American Families, Chicagoland Marriage Resource, I Am A.B.L.E., The Salvation Army, West Chicago Police, faith-based and community organizations, etc.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to do two major media relations efforts to reach a minimum of 21% of the selected county populations; to reach a minimum of 50% of pre-marital couples participating in education and marriage skills training and/or divorce reduction programs; to reach a minimum of 25% of the participants in the pre-marital, marriage, or divorce reduction programs to demonstrate an improvement of communication and problem-solving skills; and to reach a minimum of 65% of high school students to complete the program and show improvement in knowledge of communication skills, recognizing destructive personal patterns, and understanding personal finance and budgeting skills.
| Name of Grantee: | SGA Youth & Family Services |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Couples in the North Lawndale area of Chicago, Illinois |
| Federal Award Amount: | $132,000/year |
| Program Name: | Family Start |
| Project Period: | 9/30/2006-9/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 5 (one allowable activity) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: SGA Youth & Family Services was founded in 1911 to serve families in Chicago’s inner city and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children. SGA Youth & Family Services has experience providing prevention education for social concerns such drug abuse and mental health services. The organization will be partnering with Faith Community Baptist Church, Marcy Newberry Association (for job training), Chalmers Elementary School and Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Family Start plans to provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs to low-income married couples. Some of the objectives of the Family Start project are for 75% of all participants to demonstrate both an increased knowledge of healthy marriage and the application of skills taught. The main activity the project plans to implement are courses using the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) marriage curriculum. The PREP workshops will be taught in 12-week sessions with optional follow-up peer support groups and home-based marriage coaching sessions. Some of the projected outcomes are for couples to show an increased level of marital satisfaction and an increased level of satisfaction in parent-child relationships.
| Name of Grantee: | SGA Youth & Family Services |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $483,333/year |
| Program Name: | Family Tree |
| Project Period: | 09/01/2006 to 06/30/2007 |
| 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 SGA Youth & Family Services is a non-profit organization with a network within Cook County, Illinois. 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 SGA Youth & Family Services plans to 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 curriculum called the “Prevention and Relationship Enhancement” program as a model to essentially reach out to 180 couples per year by providing 16-week of home-based class sessions of healthy marriage education classes to be held along with ongoing support social services.
| Name of Grantee: | Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $550,000/year |
| Program Name: | Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc |
| Project Period: | 09/01/2006 to 8/31/2007 |
| 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 Father and Families Resource/ Research Center, Inc. (The Center) is a non-profit organization with a network within Marion County, Indiana. The population that the Center is serving will qualify for the program based on income. In addition, the Center has offered core services to fathers for 13 years.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Center 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 (#3). They will use a curriculum program called the “It Take Two!” as a model to essentially reach out to 100 couples per year by providing at least 20 hours of instruction using the “Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) to teach healthy marriage concepts, principles, and skills. They will also strive to have at least 36 enrolled individuals prepare for the GED, and have 60 participates receive pre-employment training or job placement and retention assistance through the program.
| Name of Grantee: | Madison County Community Healthy Centers, Incorporated |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | Engaged and unmarried couples considering marriage |
| Federal Award Amount: | $546,983 |
| Program Name: | Indiana Healthy Marriage Coalition |
| 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: The Indiana Healthy Marriage Coalition has an established record of providing marriage, family and domestic violence services across the state of Indiana. These social services are provided to the populations in partnership with a variety of grassroots organizations in the State of Indianapolis. The lead outreach organization is the Madison County Community Health Centers, Incorporated
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The grant funds will be used to develop, implement and adopt a uniform statewide comprehensive marriage education program for engaged couples and persons interested in marriage that will help increase their awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to form, build and sustain healthy marriages and families. Also, the Centers, will deliver increased healthy marriage services to 850 high need populations through collaborative members trained in evidence based healthy marriage programs.
| Name of Grantee: | Community Marriage Builders, Incorporated |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | Married and unmarried couples |
| Federal Award Amount: | $530,705/year |
| Program Name: | South Western Indiana Healthy Marriage Initiative |
| 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: Community Marriage Builders (CMB), Incorporated is a not-for-profit community based organization located in Evansville Indiana. CMB’s mission is to foster and preserve communities for lifetime marriages.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Community Marriage Builders, Incorporated and partners will use the grant funds to implement the following three strategic goals: 1). increase protective and reduce risk factors related to building healthy marriages for engaged couples or persons interested in marriage; 2). increase protective and reduce risk factors related to sustaining and strengthening healthy marriages for married couples; and 3). Increase the number of couples in South Western Indiana who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively prepare for and maintain healthy, lifetime marriages.
| Name of Grantee: | Abstinence for Singles |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | Residents of the urban areas of Gary, East Chicago and Hammond, Indiana. |
| Federal Award Amount: | $941,421/year |
| Program Name: | Lake County Marriage Coalition |
| 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 marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities (#7).
Organization Description: Abstinence for Singles was founded in 2000 and exists to “bridge the gap between males and females by educating youth on the benefits of abstinence until marriage and quipping youth with skills to maintain healthy relationships. Partner agencies include: Living Stones Fellowship Church, Embassies of Christ Kingdom Ministries, Abstinence and Marriage Partnership, Anger Institute, Indiana Family Institute, Gary Community School Corporation, Center for Self-Sufficiency (another grantee), Lake County Superior Court-County Division, etc.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to conduct a public advertising campaign to reach all residents in this geographic location; will provide youth-oriented relationship education for 500 11th graders using the “Aspire” and “Project Reality” curricula annually and for 500 12th graders using the “Juggling Act” curriculum (which promotes the importance of economic self-sufficiency) annually; will provide pre-marital and marriage education to approximately 2000 individuals per year using the PREPARE/ENRICH curriculum (and other curricula as appropriate); and establish marriage mentoring for 400 couples annually.
| Name of Grantee: | Cornerstone of Hope Church, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Low-income families throughout Indiana |
| Federal Award Amount: | $166,892/year |
| Program Name: | Enriching Marriages in Indiana Project |
| Project Period: | 9/30/2006-9/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 4 (one allowable activity) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: Cornerstone of Hope Church, Inc. was organized in 1887 in West Indianapolis, Indiana under the name First Baptist Church, West Indianapolis. The church has been under the leadership of Bishop Stephen Wilson for 22 years and during that time several community projects and services have evolved. The church currently has 15 ministries including the Marriage Enrichment Ministry, which was formed to educate couples on effective ways of resolving conflict and improving communication.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Enriching Marriages in Indiana Project plans to serve couples through marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs. Some of the activities planned for Cornerstone of Hope Church are a marriage mentoring program for low-income couples, quarterly workshops to address marital barriers, an annual Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance and an annual marriage retreat. Some of the outcomes the organization would like to see are a 25% increase in couples served each year, 25 mentors added to the marriage mentoring program each year and 100% of couples learning ways to resolve conflict.
| Name of Grantee: | Child and Family Resource Council |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $1,001,276/year |
| Program Name: | Encouraging Family Foundations (EFF) Healthy Marriage Demonstration Project |
| Project Period: | 09/01/2006 to 08/30/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 6 (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 Child and Family Resource Council (the Council) is a Michigan-based organization with an innovative track record of developing and implementing a unique, comprehensive approach to delivering only healthy marriage activities and services, but also critical information and skill development around relationships, parenting, financial management, conflict resolution, and career development. The Council primary agenda is to focus on the parenting needs of single, new mothers and the fathers of their babies and encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Council 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 the “Caring for My Family” curriculum as a cultural model to essentially reach out to 2,748 clients over a five (5) year period. The curriculum will be taught in a classroom-style educational model to enhance learning and support participation. The participants will attend one four-hour session a week for a six-week series. The classes will be available in English and Spanish, and are to be held a four provider sites, located in strategic locations.
| Name of Grantee: | Trinity Health Michigan DBA St. Joseph Mercy Oakland |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $545,730/year |
| Program Name: | Trinity Health Michigan DBA St. Joseph Mercy Oakland |
| 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 Trinity Health Michigan DBA St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is a non-project organization with a network with Oakland County, Michigan. According to this organization, they have extensive social services experience and providing critical services to low-income people.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Trinity Health Michigan DBA St. Joseph Mercy Oakland 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 two types of curriculum—“Helping Unwed Parents Build Strong and Healthy Marriages” and “Money Smart” as a cultural model to essentially reach out to 180 couples per year by schedule 21-class sessions (for 26 weekly) of healthy marriage education classes to be held bi-weekly by professional education instructors which will be delivered to the couples in a group setting. This training will be accompanied by ongoing support services.
| Name of Grantee: | United Way of Jackson County |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | Youth, low-income couples and individuals, and incarcerated individuals in Southeast Michigan |
| Federal Award Amount: | $1,099,461/year |
| Program Name: | Michigan Healthy Marriage Initiative Demonstration Project |
| Project Period: | 11/01/06 - 10/31/11 |
| Priority Area: | 2 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); education in high schools on the value of marriage (#2); 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: United Way of Jackson County was established in 1935 and has more than 70 years of experience in providing programming to strengthen marriages and families in Southeast Michigan. United Way will serve as the lead agency this project includes work with partner agencies that include: Marriage Resource Center of Wayne County, Marriages that Work, Michigan Family Forum, and Integrity Measures.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to conduct a public advertising campaign to reach residents of Detroit and at least 50,000 low-income African Americans annually; will deliver relationship education to 500 high school students per year using the Connections + PREP curriculum; provide pre-marital education to 1000 prisoners interested in marriage using the PREP, 700 TANF recipients using the PICK Program, and 300 engaged couples using the PREPARE and FOCCUS inventories; provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training to 300 married couples and 300 blended family TANF recipients using the PREP and Smart Steps for Step Families curricula; provide divorce reduction programs for 150 couples in crisis using the Retrouvaille and The Third Option curricula; and provide marriage mentoring for 300 couples.
| Name of Grantee: | Marriage Savers of Clark County, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Unwed parents, low-income married couples |
| Federal Award Amount: | $524,790/year |
| Program Name: | Marriage Savers of Clark County, OH |
| 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 Marriage Savers of Clark County, Inc is a non-profit, faith-based/community marriage initiative with the central mission of preparing, strengthening and restoring marriages in three Ohio counties. Since it’s inception in 2004, it has partnered with the Clark County Department of Jobs and Family Services, two local foundations and the local faith community to raise the standard of marriage in the community through a combination of marriage education, marriage mentoring and the creation of a Community Marriage Policy.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Marriage Savers of Clark County, Inc. will implement and evaluate a marriage enrichment program that will target low-income, unmarried couples and unwed parents. They will use a pilot program as a cultural model to essentially reach out to over 265 couples per year.
Office of Family Assistance
Healthy Marriage Demonstration Grant
| Name of Grantee: | Beech Acres Parenting Center |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | Residents in three diverse communities in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area |
| Federal Award Amount: | $550,000/year |
| Program Name: | Beech Acres Parenting Center Healthy Marriages/Healthy Communities |
| Project Period: | 09/30/06-09/29/11 |
| Priority Area: | 3 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: 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: Beech Acres Parenting Center has been operating in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area for over 150 years. The organization has served families and children through partnerships with faith-based organizations and schools as well as other community agencies. Some of the partners from the respective communities that will participate in the administering of the program are Allen Temple AME Church, SOAR and Family Service.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program funds will be used to achieve the over-arching goal of the program, which is to increase awareness of the value of marriage within their target communities. Some of the activities of the program are to provide 480 high school students with classes showing the value of marriage and relationship skills per year; use a target-appropriate curriculum to deliver relationship skills programs to a minimum of 20 non-married expectant fathers per year; provide pre-marital education to a minimum of 30 engaged couples per year; provide marriage enhancement and relationship skills training to a minimum of 30 married couples in each community per year; create and deliver divorce reduction programs and support groups to a minimum of 15 struggling couples in each community per year; and provide a marriage mentoring program for a minimum of 10 couples in each community per year.
| Name of Grantee: | Cuyahoga County Board of County Commissioners |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $533,730/year |
| Program Name: | Strong Start for Cuyahoga’s Families-Healthy Marriage Track |
| Project Period: | 10/1/2006 to 9/30/2011 |
| 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 Cuyahoga County Board of County Commissioners (The Board) is a three member board that has governmental oversight of various public services within Cuyahoga County, Ohio. According to this governmental entity, 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 Board 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 the “Healthy Marriage” curriculum as a model to essentially reach out to 540 participants per year by having 12 weekly training sessions, two hours in duration, at one of the six neighborhood centers. Under the guidance of a Site Coordinator, these centers will also provide the opportunity for participants to reinforce their emerging communication skills via quality one-on-one time with their significant other and child in a positive family environment.
| Name of Grantee: | Operation Keepsake, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | High school students in Cuyahoga and Mahoning counties in Ohio |
| Federal Award Amount: | $459,419/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006 – 9/29/2011 |
| 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: Operation Keepsake has been well-established in the education of teens for over 18 years. The organization has a history of collaboration with other organizations and government entities working toward common goals and objectives. For example, Operation Keepsake has had a working relationship with Cuyahoga County, Ohio officials for over 10 years in their effort to reduce teen pregnancy through TANF dollars. Operation Keepsake has also collaborated, and continues to collaborate by providing programming, training, and materials with organizations committed to educating youth so as to help them establish and sustain healthy marriages.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Operation Keepsake plans to incorporate eight activities as follows: 1) “For Keep” 5-day high school curriculum, 2) “Resistance” team presentation, 3) gap-“The Gender Approach Project” presentation, 4) Breakdown assemblies, 5) “represent” teen magazine, 6) media campaign, 7) parent/teacher workshops/seminars, and 8) “Directions” publication. They expect to serve 2,000 students in the first year. The project will increase the participants’ efficacy with relationship and communication skills, increase the participants’ knowledge of the negative social, psychological, and healthy consequences of domestic violence, and increase the participants’ knowledge of the benefits of a healthy marriage to the individual, children, and society.
| Name of Grantee: | Governor's Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | African American community in Ohio |
| Federal Award Amount: | $544,140/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006 – 9/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 8 (one or two allowable activities) |
Allowable Activity: Divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills (#6).
Organization Description: The Governor’s Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives (GOFBCI) was established in 2003. GOFBCI carries out three tasks: 1) make it easier for faith and community organizations to compete for public funding; 2) encourage partnerships among and between faith and community based organizations that share a common mission; and 3) measure the impact of these partnerships to reduce the suffering of citizens in need.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: GOFBCI will offer divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills. 1000 couples will participate in multi-session marriage enrichment. The program is designed to renew the culture of marriage in the service area of Ohio. It will reduce divorce in Ohio in targeted communities, increase the prevalence of pre-marital preparation so that pre-marital preparation becomes a community norm, improve marital satisfaction among participating communities, increase relationship skills in participating communities and access to relationship skills training, especially pre-marital, and increase local marriage supports for married couples and increase the availability of culturally appropriate marriage supports in participating communities.
| Name of Grantee: | Pregnancy Support Center |
| Federal Project Officer: | Heather Sonabend (202) 260-0873 |
| Target Population: | High school students in Stark County, Ohio |
| Federal Award Amount: | $ 526,051/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Discretionary Grants |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006 – 9/29/2011 |
| 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: The Stark STRONG (Standing Together Reaching Ohio’s New Generation) Project is a collaboration of the Pregnancy Support Center (PSC), Community Services, and Catholic Charities. These Stark County Agencies have come together as one unified task force to educate area youth in skills for a healthy relationship equipping them to have a healthy marriage. Stark STRONG was founded in 2004. PSC is an experienced abstinence and healthy relationship provider having worked in the abstinence field since 1989.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Pregnancy Support Center plans to provide 1400 students each year with classroom instruction in high schools on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health using the Connections: Dating and Emotions and Connections: Relationships and Marriage curriculums. They will also provide public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health. Students will learn about how healthy relationships develop, how to recognize destructive patterns, how to deal with emotions, effective ways to communicate, why marriage matters, and why abstinence from sexual activity before marriage will help produce a healthier marriage, and budgeting skills.
| 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: | 09/30/2006 – 9/29/2011 |
| 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: | Foundation for a Great Marriage |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Married and engaged couples |
| Federal Award Amount: | $545,000/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Initiative in Wisconsin, particularly targeting the Latino population |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006 – 9/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 3 (five or more allowable activities) |
Allowable Activities: Public advertising campaign (#1); education in high schools on the value of marriage (#2); 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).
Organization Description: Foundation for a Great Marriage (FGM) has the mission to serve as the impetus for the formation of community marriage initiatives and to equip local executive directors who are well-networked in their own county to deliver healthy marriage initiatives. They are one of eight organizations being specially mentored by the Marriage Commission, an organization that helps to network leaders of marriage initiatives across the nation to share best-known practices. FGM will oversee the implementation of collaborative grassroots networks that will deliver healthy marriage programming to 11 target county residents.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program funds will be used to serve 11 of the 14 most populous counties and 57% of the population in Wisconsin, approximately 3.04 million people. Residents will be informed and given access to opportunities to learn the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain healthy marriages. FGM will use skills-based, research-validated resources and network with leaders in the healthy marriage movement. The allowable activities that will be implemented include: public adverting campaigns (particularly targeted to the Latino population), marriage education in high schools, pre-marital education and marriage skills training (particularly targeted to the Latino population), and divorce reduction programs. The project expects to provide marriage classes to a minimum of 1,620 couples over its five year span.
| Name of Grantee: | Foundation for a Great Marriage |
| Federal Project Officer: | Doresa Payton (202) 401-4639 |
| Target Population: | Married and unmarried couples |
| Federal Award Amount: | $544,680/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Initiative in Wisconsin |
| Project Period: | 09/30/2006 – 9/29/2011 |
| 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 marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: Foundation for a Great Marriage (FGM), Incorporated’s mission is to serve as the impetus for the formation of community marriage initiatives and to equip local executive directors who are well-networked in their own county to deliver healthy marriage initiatives. FGM will oversee the implementation of collaborative grassroots networks that will deliver healthy marriage programming to county residents.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The grant funds will be used to carry out allowable activities related to public advertising campaigns and married skills training for English speaking married couples. The campaigns and training will highlight the benefits of marriage, the detriments of cohabitation and out-of-wedlock childbearing, and the preventability of divorce through marriage education.
| Name of Grantee: | Parents Plus, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Nathaniel Johnson (202) 401-9275 |
| Target Population: | Low-income, non-married, expectant/new parents |
| Federal Award Amount: | $550,000/year |
| Program Name: | Parents Plus, Inc. |
| Project Period: | 10/01/2006 to 9/30/2011 |
| 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: Parents Plus, Inc. is a non-profit organization with a network of over eight counties (Eau Claire, Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, and Lincoln) within the state of Wisconsin.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Parents Plus, 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 curriculum called “Keys to a Healthy Marriage” as a model to essentially reach out to 200 couples per year. They will provide 11-lesson class sessions of healthy marriage education classes within a classroom setting.
| Name of Grantee: | Center for Self-Sufficiency, Inc. |
| Federal Project Officer: | Michelle Clune (202) 401-5467 |
| Target Population: | High-school aged youth, non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers, engaged couples and those interested in marriage, married couples and married couples in at-risk communities |
| Federal Award Amount: | $1,097,000/year |
| Program Name: | Healthy Marriage Education / Milwaukee Marriage Partnership |
| 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); marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities (#7); and programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in means-tested aid programs (#8).
Organization Description: The Center for Self-Sufficiency (CFSS) is a non-profit organization that specializes in planning, developing and implementing effective community-wide abstinence and healthy marriage education programs. CFSS lead to the development of the Milwaukee Marriage Partnership, a coalition of diverse agencies committed to strengthening the institution of marriage.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to conduct a community-wide social marketing campaign that will reach 100,000 people; deliver marriage education to 800 high school-aged youth using “Keys to a Healthy Marriage” curriculum; deliver PREP to 48 TANF-eligible non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers (including new parents); deliver PREP to 158 individuals through 10 one-day Healthy Marriage / relationship enrichment retreats per year; deliver PREP to 120 community college students through peer marriage educators; provide marriage education to a wide-range of people, including incarcerated individuals, engaged, non-married and married; provide marriage mentoring to at least 120 married or pre-marital couples; and provide marriage education to TANF-eligible non-married pregnant women and expectant fathers, to engaged couples, and married couples.
| Name of Grantee: | Laugh Your Way America, LLC |
| Federal Project Officer: | Karal Busch (202) 205-5924 |
| Target Population: | Spanish-speaking immigrants and first generation Latinos |
| Federal Award Amount: | $265,336/year |
| Program Name: | Hispanic Multimedia Marriage Seminar |
| Project Period: | 9/30/2006-9/29/2011 |
| Priority Area: | 5 (one allowable activity) |
Allowable Activity: Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples (#5).
Organization Description: Laugh Your Way America, LLC is an organization that directly targets and supports Spanish-speaking Latino families by tailoring their marriage programs to the specific culture rather than using methods that have been used in other cultures. The organization is aware populations of different cultures have varied ways of understanding familial concepts and employs staff that are either of Latino descent or have been significantly immersed in the Latino culture.
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Hispanic Multimedia Marriage Seminar will provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs to low-income married couples. Objectives of the Hispanic Multimedia Marriage Seminar are to help couples through marriage coaching and divorce reduction. Some of the activities that will take place are the viewing of educational videos, interactive role-playing and presentations on the changing roles of men in the Latino culture. A unique feature is that the staff will use humor as a basis for couples opening up as well as feeling more comfortable in the environment.
