The Fatherhood Research & Practice Network (FRPN) was established through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (grant #90PR0006) to improve the quality and reach of fatherhood research, programming, and policy. Between 2013 and 2019, FRPN supported 21 fatherhood evaluations and research projects as well as small policy-oriented planning grants in 11 states that focused on promoting father engagement, economic stability, coparenting, and the inclusion of fathers in state systems and policies.
Originally co-directed by Jay Fagan (Temple University) and Jessica Pearson (Center for Policy Research), the network produced measurement tools and training media, a suite of research briefs and grantee reports, and resources designed to translate evidence into state- and community-level practice and policy. It also built a national community of researchers and practitioners committed to advancing evidence-informed approaches to fatherhood programs. Reports on each FRPN-funded project are available on the FRPN website. Articles on select projects are featured in New Research on Parenting Programs for Low-Income Fathers (2021), edited by Jay Fagan and Jessica Pearson.
Since 2019, CPR directs and continues to advance the core mission of FRPN through curating and sharing new evidence on father engagement, generating new resources and tools, and identifying evidence-informed strategies in the fatherhood field. CPR disseminates the FRPN Blueprint, an e-newsletter highlighting the latest fatherhood news, research, and activities. CPR also draws on FRPN connections and resources in their current efforts to identify, examine, and summarize the state-level policies and programs that best support low-income fathers' economic stability and family engagement.