National Fatherhood Initiative

The National Fatherhood Initiative is an organization founded in 1994 and funded by a variety of rightwing foundations including the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the F.M. Kirby Foundation, and the Scaife Family Foundation (source). From 1994 to 2001 the organization was headed by co-founder Don Eberly who was a former deputy director for the Office of Public Liaison during the Regan administration. In 2001, Eberly left the organization to serve as deputy director of the White House Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives. The National Fatherhood Initiative prescribes “matrimony as the antidote to most inner city ills”according to Black Commentator, has been key in promoting the idea that marriage is “under attack”in this country, and has focused much of its efforts on targeting people of color. The organization was also involved in a scandal in which newspaper columnists were paid to promote President George W. Bush’s marriage initiative.