Fatherhood Network
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersKalamazoo, MI, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Fatherhood Network firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Fatherhood Network industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Fatherhood Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kalamazoo, MI
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fatherhood Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 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.
- Donations: Organization accepts donations through website. Donors page exists for supporter engagement.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Community Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Fatherhood Network product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Fatherhood Network
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Fatherhood Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Fatherhood Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bronson Health / Bronson Methodist HospitalcoreCo-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 CollaborativecoreStara Collaborative serves as the fiscal sponsor of the Fatherhood Network, providing organizational infrastructure and administrative support for grant funding and donations.
- Urban AlliancecoreVenue 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 MedicinecorePartner in men's health initiatives and community wellness programs. Collaborated on Men's Health Matters event.
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)corePartnered in the official launch of MDHHS Office of Father and Paternal Engagement. Fatherhood Network participated in Father Experts Panel discussion.
- Cradle KalamazoocorePartnership for Community Listening Sessions to meet with fathers and connect them to support resources in Kalamazoo.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater KalamazoominorSupported golf outing event and celebrate new facility opening. Collaboration on youth development and community support.
- Kalamazoo Public LibraryminorParticipated in Party in the Park event with staff reading to youth. Partnership for early learning and literacy initiatives.
- Northside Association for Community Development (NACD)coreVenue partner for Dad Café community discussions. Provides space for father engagement programming.
- Mt. Zion Baptist Church / Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist ChurchcoreVenue partner for Community Listening Sessions and community events in the Kalamazoo area.
- Kalamazoo Black Golf Association (KBGA)coreRelated organization co-hosting golf events and community activities. Listed on organization website as associated program.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fatherhood Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Fatherhood Network social profiles
Digital presenceFatherhood Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fatherhood Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Fatherhood Network subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Fatherhood Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fatherhood Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fatherhood Network
What does Fatherhood Network do?
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.
Is Fatherhood Network a public or private company?
Fatherhood Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Fatherhood Network founded?
Fatherhood Network was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Fatherhood Network based?
Fatherhood Network is headquartered in Kalamazoo, MI, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fatherhood Network make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Merchandise Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and community Services (Free).
Who are Fatherhood Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fathers' UpLift, Good Dads and Father Matters. Boot Campaign is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Parents as Teachers, Promundo and National Fatherhood Initiative. Fatherhood Institute is listed as a regional player.
Does Fatherhood Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fatherhood Network.
What industry is Fatherhood Network in?
Fatherhood Network's product category is Community Family Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACALAI, Co-Parenting, Father Engagement & Caregiver Inclusion Programs, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services. Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.