Fathers at Work Initiative

Building on lessons learned from previously funded efforts, Mott's Fathers at Work Initiative (FWI) aims to reduce poverty by supporting interventions that increase labor market participation, earnings and parental engagement among low-income, non-custodial fathers under age 30.

For workforce development practitioners concerned with serving these men, there exists the need to help them overcome barriers to employment, such as child support debt adn criminal records. A primary concern of the FWI will be to support debt and criminal records. A primary concern of the FWI will be to identify appropriate roles for community-based workforce development programs meeing these needs.

The demonstration will span a three-year period ending in 2003. In February 2000, Mott released an invitation-only Request for Proposals to a group of 40 workforce development programs recognized around the country as among the best in the field. From those 40, Mott has selected and will provide planning and implementation funds to six sites: