Fatherhood Network

What Fatherhood Network does

Fatherhood Network is a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based nonprofit community services organization founded in 2015 by Kevin Lavender Jr. to support and empower fathers at all stages of fatherhood, including new, experienced, step, and grandfathers as well as guardians. The organization delivers four core service lines free of charge to participants: One-on-One Services (personalized parenting support and resource navigation), Community Classes (peer-led education in safe spaces), Community Connections (referrals to legal, food, health, clothing, and counseling resources), and Family Events (father-centric community gatherings, including the affiliated Kalamazoo Black Golf Association). Services are delivered at partner venues including Urban Alliance, Northside Association for Community Development, and Mt. Zion Baptist Church, with stated conference reach extending across Michigan and to Pennsylvania and Washington DC.

The organization operates as a fiscally sponsored project of Stara Collaborative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which provides the legal and administrative infrastructure to accept grants and donations. The business model is predominantly donation- and grant-funded, supplemented by a DAD Merch e-commerce storefront selling branded apparel and accessories at price points ranging from $24 to $70.52. The team is small (6 employees) and includes an Executive Director, Director of Operations, and DADvocate staff, with one team member having earned Community Health Worker Certification through MiCHWA. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its digital footprint consists of a Wix-hosted website, standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X), and an email newsletter.

Strategically, Fatherhood Network has pursued partnership-led growth rather than scale expansion, formalizing relationships with Bronson Health, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine, Cradle Kalamazoo, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and multiple community and faith-based organizations. Its customer base is a long tail of individual fathers served within the Kalamazoo metropolitan area, with no paying enterprise customers, no contracted recurring revenue, and no disclosed financial metrics. The organization is operating in growth mode at the partnership and program level but remains fundamentally a single-city, donor-supported community initiative.

Name

Fatherhood Network

Legal name

Fatherhood Network

Website

https://thefatherhoodnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fatherhood Network is a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based nonprofit founded in 2015 that provides free, peer-led parenting support, community classes, resource referrals, and family events to fathers at all stages in the local community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Family Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Co-Parenting, Father Engagement & Caregiver Inclusion Programs (EDACALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK), Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

Keywords

• Community fatherhood support
• Family support services
• Parental education programs
• Community classes
• Father engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalamazoo, MI

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including hoodies, polos, t-shirts, tank tops, water bottles, gym bags, aprons, backpacks, phone cases, and yoga shorts. One-time product purchases through e-commerce storefront.
2. Donations: Organization accepts donations through website. Donors page exists for supporter engagement.
3. Community Services (Free): Core services including one-on-one services, community classes, community connections, and family events are provided free of charge to participants, supported by donations and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fatherhood Network is a nonprofit community organization that provides free programs and resources to fathers and families in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Its core offerings include one-on-one support, community classes, community connections, and family events, all designed to strengthen father engagement and family well-being. The organization also sells branded merchandise (DAD Merch) to support its mission.

Product overview

Fatherhood Network is a community support organization offering a single, unified set of services centered on fatherhood engagement. The core offerings include One on One Services (personalized parenting support and resource connections), Community Classes (free peer-based parenting education), Community Connections (referrals to legal, food, health, clothing, and counseling services), and Family Events (father-centric community activities). These services are complemented by the DAD Merch Store, a branded merchandise line featuring apparel and accessories such as hoodies, polo shirts, tank tops, slides, yoga shorts, tote bags, backpacks, gym bags, aprons, water bottles, and phone cases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DAD Merch: Branded merchandise including hoodies, apparel, accessories sold through the organization's shop.

Products and services

• One-on-One Support Free individualized support service for fathers and families, providing personal mentoring and guidance to participants in the Kalamazoo, Michigan community.
• Community Classes Structured group educational classes offered free to fathers and families to build parenting skills, community knowledge, and family engagement.
• Community Connections Community-building events and gatherings designed to connect fathers and families with one another and with local resources in the Kalamazoo area.
• Family Events Family-oriented events hosted by the organization to bring fathers, children, and families together for shared experiences and community bonding.
• DAD Merch Branded merchandise line sold to support the organization's mission, providing a revenue stream alongside donations and sponsorships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Infant death within first 28 days is four times higher for absent fathers than involved fathers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bronson Health / Bronson Methodist HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2024Co-organized Men's Health Matters event promoting men's health and wellness in the Kalamazoo community. Event included health resources, breakfast, prizes, and giveaways.
• Stara CollaborativecoreOthersStara Collaborative serves as the fiscal sponsor of the Fatherhood Network, providing organizational infrastructure and administrative support for grant funding and donations.
• Urban AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner providing space for Dad Café community discussions and gatherings. Ongoing partnership for regular community programming.
• Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in men's health initiatives and community wellness programs. Collaborated on Men's Health Matters event.
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered in the official launch of MDHHS Office of Father and Paternal Engagement. Fatherhood Network participated in Father Experts Panel discussion.
• Cradle KalamazoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Community Listening Sessions to meet with fathers and connect them to support resources in Kalamazoo.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater KalamazoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported golf outing event and celebrate new facility opening. Collaboration on youth development and community support.
• Kalamazoo Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Party in the Park event with staff reading to youth. Partnership for early learning and literacy initiatives.
• Northside Association for Community Development (NACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Dad Café community discussions. Provides space for father engagement programming.
• Mt. Zion Baptist Church / Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Community Listening Sessions and community events in the Kalamazoo area.
• Kalamazoo Black Golf Association (KBGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated organization co-hosting golf events and community activities. Listed on organization website as associated program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fathers' UpLift: Boston-based nonprofit offering father-focused counseling, reentry support, and family services. Closely comparable community-based, father-centric service delivery model with peer support and resource navigation.
• Good Dads: Father-focused nonprofit offering fatherhood education programs, father-child activities, and community-based support. Directly comparable peer support and family engagement model.
• Father Matters: Detroit-based nonprofit dedicated to equipping fathers with the tools and resources to be present and engaged parents. Highly comparable as a Michigan-based, community-anchored father engagement organization.

Emerging players

• Boot Campaign: Nonprofit supporting military families with a growing focus on fatherhood and veteran family wellness. Comparable community-anchored, family-support nonprofit model with thematic overlap on father/male engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Parents as Teachers: Established national nonprofit providing parent education and family support, primarily focused on early childhood. Comparable in mission area (parent education and family support) but broader in scope and not father-specific.
• Promundo: Global nonprofit advancing gender equality and healthy manhood through fatherhood programming and research. Comparable fatherhood mission at a much larger international scale.
• National Fatherhood Initiative: The largest U.S. nonprofit dedicated to fatherhood, providing curricula, training, and resources nationwide. Directly comparable mission (father engagement) but operates at a much broader national scale rather than a single-city community model.

Regional players

• Fatherhood Institute: UK-based charity promoting involvement of fathers and male carers, providing research, training, and resources. Thematically directly comparable but operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Fnkzoo
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheFatherhoodNetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/fatherhoodnetworkkzoo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fatherhood-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fatherhood Network