Cooperative Agreement Summary: Fathers First Program

Civic Heart Community Services received a $1.17M Cooperative Agreement from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families under the Healthy Marriage Promotion and Responsible Fatherhood Grants program (CFDA 93.086) awarded on September 30, 2025. The five-year award funds the Fathers First Program, which delivers evidence-based fatherhood support services to fathers aged 18 and older with children under 24 years of age in Harris County, Texas. The program implements the 24:7 Dad A.M. curriculum, providing 34 hours of workshops covering responsible parenting, healthy relationships, and economic stability.

The program provides comprehensive services through three primary mechanisms: intensive case management, quarterly family engagement activities, and targeted economic stability workshops. Civic Heart will serve 80 fathers in the first program year and 160 fathers annually in subsequent years, reaching a total of 700 fathers over the five-year project period ending September 29, 2030. As a minority-owned, Houston-based nonprofit with significant experience administering federal family support and social service programs, Civic Heart demonstrates established capacity to deliver evidence-based responsible fatherhood initiatives to underserved populations in Harris County.