HMRF Programs

There are three federal programs that fund Healthy Marriage & Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) projects. All of them are funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA). Per the HMRF website:

  • HEART: The HMRF website still calls this the “Family, Relationship, and Marriage Education Works” (FRAMEWorks) program, but the grant opportunity forecast now calls it “Helping Every Area of Relationships Thrive – Adults” (HEART). It funds “healthy marriage and relationship education promotion activities for adults.” You can find the grant opportunity forecast here. The projected dates and funding amounts are as follows:
    • Post date: April 25, 2025
    • Application due date: June 24, 2025
    • Award date: August 29, 2025
    • Project start date: September 30, 2025
    • Ceiling: $1,250,000
    • Floor: $400,000
    • Total program funding: $34,650,000

  • FORGE Fatherhood: The HMRF website still calls this the Fatherhood Family-focused, Interconnected, Resilient, and Essential (Fatherhood FIRE) program, but the grant opportunity forecast now calls it “Family, Opportunity, Resilience, Grit, Engagement – Fatherhood” (FORGE Fatherhood). It funds “responsible fatherhood promotion activities for adult fathers.” You can find the grant opportunity forecast here. The projected dates and funding amounts are as follows:
    • Post date: April 25, 2025
    • Application due date: June 24, 2025
    • Award date: August 29, 2025
    • Project start date: September 30, 2025
    • Ceiling: $1,250,000
    • Floor: $400,000
    • Total program funding: $55,000,000 (reduced in the new forecast from $57,750,000)

  • READY4Life: Relationships, Education, Advancement, and Development for Youth for Life (READY4Life) funds “healthy marriage and relationship education promotion activities for youth, including parenting youth.” You can find the grant opportunity forecast here. The projected dates and funding amounts are as follows:
    • Post date: April 25, 2025
    • Application due date: June 24, 2025
    • Award date: August 29, 2025
    • Project start date: September 30, 2025
    • Ceiling: $1,250,000
    • Floor: $400,000
    • Total program funding: $23,100,000

HMRF has always been provided in 5-year cycles and funded at a combined $150 million/year. The FRAMEWorks, Fatherhood FIRE, and READY4Life” framework was introduced in the third cycle. The upcoming fifth cycle will begin in fiscal year 2026, which begins in calendar year 2025.

  • First Cycle: FY 2006–2010
  • Second Cycle: FY 2011–2015
  • Third Cycle: FY 2016–2020
  • Fourth Cycle: FY 2021–2025
  • Fifth Cycle: FY 2026–2030

· To be notified when the HMRF 2025 NOFOs are posted, sign up here.