2026 Investing in the Power of Families Challenge Grants Awardees
Combating Infant/Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
Arkansas Children’s Hospital-AR – $50,000
The proposed project seeks to reduce preventable maternal and infant mortality and morbidity among Pulaski County Parents as Teachers families through a comprehensive home-based safety, caregiving, and early childhood development initiative that includes certifying Parents as Teachers educators as KIDS Network Safe Sleep Instructors, providing high-risk households with safe sleep and home safety supplies, and certifying all Parents as Teachers staff and 40 high-risk caregivers in CPR and First Aid.
Institute For Native Pacific Educations and Culture (INPEACE) Hi’ile – HI – $50,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen Native Hawaiian maternal and infant wellbeing by increasing access to Indigenous ancestral knowledge and culturally grounded practices through training led by Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners. Through this initiative, five to ten educators, leaders, and learners will deepen their understanding of traditional maternal and infant wellbeing practices, strengthen culturally responsive supports for families, and contribute to the development of stronger Indigenous leadership infrastructure across Hawaiʻi.
Shiloh CUSD1 Partnership in Parenting – IL – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to reduce preventable maternal mortality by expanding PIP’s home-based maternal mental health support model to strengthen early identification of postpartum depression, increase access to coping tools and peer support, and reduce transportation barriers to care for participating families.
Community Responsiveness
Spero Family Services – IL – $50,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen family stability and increase participation in Spero Family Services’ Parents as Teachers home visiting program through the establishment of the Spero Care Closet at the Mt. Vernon, Illinois location, providing families with access to immediate basic needs and essential resources.
Family Development Center’s Newborn Network – CO – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to reduce isolation, strengthen caregiver confidence, and increase access to safe, enriching early childhood experiences for families with children ages 0–36 months through accessible, year-round programming that promotes relationship building, caregiver engagement, and child development across cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical domains.
Crittenton Centers Milestones – IL – $5,000
The proposed project seeks to increase consistent participation and equitable access to Crittenton Centers’ Milestones Prevention Intervention Program monthly group connections by eliminating transportation barriers for enrolled families through Uber transportation support, ultimately increasing attendance, strengthening parent engagement and peer support, promoting school readiness and healthy child development, reducing no-show rates, and improving overall family stability, self-sufficiency, and program outcomes for families experiencing economic hardship.
Enrollment and Recruitment
North Range Behavioral Health – CO – $50,000
The proposed project seeks to prioritize the recruitment, enrollment, and retention of pregnant women and families with young children impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) by embedding Parents as Teachers services into North Range Behavioral Health’s sober living homes, creating a safe, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed environment that weaves together home visiting, recovery support, physical and mental health services, and parenting support to strengthen healing, improve parent-child attachment, promote healthy early childhood development, and establish a sustainable model that can be expanded across the county, the state, and eventually the nation.
Wayne County Health Department Family Enrichment Program – IL – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen recruitment and retention efforts by providing meaningful incentives that reduce barriers to participation and encourage families to enroll in and remain actively engaged in the program through supports such as gas cards, grocery gift cards, diapers and wipes, car seats, developmentally appropriate books and toys, prenatal and infant care packages, and shared family meals during group sessions, ultimately increasing accessibility, strengthening family engagement, fostering community connection, and promoting positive outcomes for children and caregivers.
Family Leadership Development
Aprendamos Family of Services – NM – $50,000
The proposed project seeks to close a persistent gap in early childhood support by equipping fathers and expectant fathers with the knowledge, confidence, and relationships needed to nurture, protect, and positively engage with their children from day one through a service model that blends fatherhood education, individualized coaching, peer support, and intentional outreach, ultimately strengthening co-parenting relationships, increasing father engagement, and improving overall family stability and child well-being.
Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative – NJ – $25,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen parent leadership and reduce isolation among Spanish-speaking families in Camden, New Jersey, by implementing Spanish-language Online Parent Cafés that foster peer support, resilience, and community connection through the evidence-based Be Strong Families Parent Café model.
Howe Community Resource Center – WI – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to expand parent voice, leadership, and meaningful engagement by creating equitable opportunities for parents to participate in decision-making, program facilitation, and professional development through leadership roles, trainings, and family engagement activities at Howe Community Resource Center.
Program Quality Improvement
Maui Family Support Services – HI – $50,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen father engagement within home visiting services by enhancing Kāne Connections, the culturally grounded fatherhood program of Maui Family Support Services, Inc., and integrating it more intentionally with existing Parents as Teachers home visiting services through father-focused group sessions, family events, and parent-child activities that increase father participation, strengthen family relationships, and promote stronger family bonds and positive child and family outcomes.
USD 204 Bonner Springs Edwardsville – IL – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to implement The Hands-On, Minds-On project to strengthen school readiness by equipping USD204 Parents as Teachers families with hands-on learning materials and tools that support fine motor, language, math, and pre-reading skill development through engaging, home-based activities.
USD 231Gardner Edgerton – KS – $5,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen parent-child connection and reduce family stress through the implementation of Conscious Discipline social-emotional strategies that support emotional regulation, healthy relationships, and positive interactions for both caregivers and children.
Derby Parents as Teachers – KS – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to enhance family engagement and promote the importance of preventive health care by expanding the Derby Parents as Teachers Teddy Bear Clinic to include a family health fair and hearing and vision screenings for children while connecting families to physical, mental, and nutritional health resources.
Workforce Development
The Up Center – VA – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen and sustain the early childhood home visiting workforce by promoting the physical, mental, and emotional wellness of staff through initiatives designed to reduce burnout, build resilience, encourage healthy lifestyles, and enhance the quality of services provided to families.
Easterseals Midwest – MO – $50,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen the quality and impact of Easterseals Midwest’s Early Childhood–Home Visiting program by providing trauma-informed training and advanced professional development opportunities that enhance trauma-responsive practices, support evidence-based home visiting strategies, and align staff with national and state early childhood best practices.
Vermillion USD 380 – KS – $15,000
The proposed project seeks to strengthen early childhood outcomes for children ages birth to five by providing staff training in implicit bias, cultural sensitivity, and play therapy-informed practices to support healthy relationships, communication, emotional regulation, and developmental milestone achievement through sensory and play-based interventions. The project addresses barriers such as trauma, developmental delays, sensory processing differences, and limited access to affordable, developmentally appropriate play opportunities for families in the community.