Parenting Links

• Consortium for Science-Based Information on Children, Youth and Families The website promotes healthy child and family development by highlighting science-based information for those who care for, or work with children.
• ACT for Youth ACT (Assets Coming Together) for Youth Center of Excellence connects research to practice in the areas of positive youth development and adolescent sexual health.
• New York State Parenting Education Partnership (NYSPEP) All children should grow up in nurturing families. The mission of the New York State Parenting Education Partnership (NYSPEP) is to make that happen, by improving parenting skills and behavior through a strong, statewide network.
• eXtension Parenting Community of Practice (CoP) The Parenting Community of Practice features articles and activities, a resource area, and "Answers from our Experts" sections that may be helpful to parent educators and families. eXtension is an educational partnership of 74 universities in the United States and provides objective, research-based information in an interactive learning environment.
• Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to improving the lives of children by conducting research and providing science-based information to improve the decisions, programs, and policies that affect children and their families. This site is an excellent source for fact sheets, publications and recent research on many issues related to children and families. In July 2004, Child Trends published an interesting research brief about the patterns of grandparent's involvement in care for their grandchildren. Specifically, this brief discusses the prevalence of grandparents providing day care for such children. To download the brief, click here: Grandma and Grandpa Taking Care of the Kids: Patterns of Involvement.
• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention  has launched Parent Portal, an encyclopedic website with links to information from all areas of CDC. Some of the many sections hold information about pregnancy, children's topics by age range, and issues of concern to parents arranged alphabetically. Quick links go to developmental milestones and safety in the home.
• Journal of Extension (JOE) is the peer-reviewed journal of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System. It seeks to expand and update the research and knowledge base for Extension professionals and other adult educators to improve their effectiveness.
• NIFA This section hosts the directory of land-grant universities which are state partners of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. Also included here is the State Extension Service Directors and Administrators Directory as well as links to the websites of the schools of forestry, higher education, human sciences, veterinary science, and state extension services and state experiment stations.
• National Parenting Education Network Includes information on: networking to facilitate linkages among practitioners; knowledge development to expand the base of research and knowledge and increase its accessibility; professional growth to address issues such as ethics, standards, certification and education; and leadership among parenting educators and with policy makers, media and the public.
• Parenting is Prevention A detailed publication that includes profiles of selected parenting programs in connection to the programs with promise, in addition to a review of literature on the influence of parents on children's drug use. Also provides a detailed list of internet resources on parenting, as well as a parent's guide on preventing drug use in children and adolescents.
• Center for the Improvement of Child Caring Provides leadership and support in parent training, resources for parenting movement, training programs, training materials, instructor workshops, and seminars for parents. Has catalog of materials screened for effectiveness. Companion organization is National Parenting Instructors Association.
• Strengthening America's Families Project University of Utah. Funded by Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Project conducts training on eight model family-based juvenile delinquency programs (Parents and Children Training Series; Strengthening Families Program; Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families Program; Families and Schools Together (FAST) Program; the Parent Project; Functional Family Therapy; Iowa Strengthening Families Program-Pre- and Early Teens; and Nurturing Parent Program. Also provides descriptions on model family strengthening programs.
• Adolescence Directory On-line Center for Adolescent Studies, Indiana University. Electronic guide to information on adolescent issues: conflict and violence, mental health issues, health issues including alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA), and counselor resources
• Early Childhood Educators' and Family Web Corner Links to a wide variety of resources in health and nutrition, child care, education, parenting information consumer education, safety, special education, social issues and policy, advocacy, and entertainment.
• Family Resource Information, Education and Network Development Services (FRIENDS) Collaborative effort of Chapel Hill Training-Outreach Project, Inc., and the Family Resource Coalition of America. Has bulletin board, products, evaluation center. Also has Virtual Resource Center where individuals can read newsletters, print fact sheets, and share resources with peers.
• Tufts University Child and Family Web Guide provides information on five main categories of information: family/parenting, education/learning, typical child development, health/mental health, and resources/recreation. The first four categories contain sites with research-based information. The fifth category, resources/recreation, contains sites with information about specific programs and things to do. The resources/recreation sites, which were added at the request of parents, do not contain research-based information. The WebGuide also offers an option of searching for sites that are especially relevant to a particular age group and it offers several features requested by parents (e.g., ask an expert sites; research news sites).

Funding Links

• ACHELIS-BODMAN FOUNDATION E-mail: main@achelis-bodman-fnds.org This foundation supports some programs in areas such as youth services and family preservation. In 1995, the Foundations first considered the problems posed by father absence and the lack of responsible fatherhood and started to fund local and national endeavors to highlight this dilemma and institute remedies. Today, there are 2,500 fatherhood programs across the country that are designed to bring supportive working fathers back into family life.
• ROBERT STERLING CLARK FOUNDATION Incorporated in 1952, the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Inc. has provided financial assistance to a wide variety of charitable organizations over the years. At present, the foundation is concentrating some of its resources on family planning-ensuring access to family planning practices and to protect reproductive freedom nationally. Visitors to the foundation's Web site will find program guidelines, application procedures, and contact information.
• COMMONWEALTH FUND The Commonwealth Fund awards grants for projects in its three major program areas. The Fund supports independent research on health and social issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy. The Fund supports efforts that help people live healthy and productive lives and assists specific groups with serious and neglected problems. The Fund is dedicated to helping people become more informed about their health care and improving care for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, low-income families, minority Americans, and the uninsured. A particular emphasis is given to projects dealing with child, adolescent and women's health. The Fund awards grants through the Small Grants Fund (SGF), with decisions made on a monthly basis. Small grants are closely tied to the Fund's strategic purposes, but enable the foundation to move quickly and flexibly to underwrite targeted work.
• DAPHNE FOUNDATION The Foundation will be making a limited number of grants during 2004 and 2005. Their web site is still under construction. If, after carefully reading their guidelines, you would like to approach the Foundation regarding possible support, you should contact the program associate for instructions on applying. Please be aware that your organization must meet each of the criteria outlined in our guidelines. You should not forward any information to the Foundation without first contacting staff regarding the proper application materials. For a copy of their guidelines, please contact the Foundation at the number above, for general inquiries, e-mail info@daphnefoundation.org
• FOUNDATION FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT FCD has a special interest in children in low-income, working families, particularly those families that are struggling to meet their children's basic human needs. The Foundation makes grants nationally to nonprofit institutions for research, policy analysis, advocacy, leadership development, and a small number of program development projects. Three cross-cutting themes guide FCD's work: linking research on children and families to formation of relevant policies and programs; identifying fresh approaches to crafting sound social strategies for children and families; and nurturing new generations of leaders connecting child development research to policy. FCD is particularly concerned about all children's access to early childhood education programs and to health care. FCD does not fund the direct provision of preschool education or child care or health care. FCD also has a strong interest in the development of national and state policies that promote economic security for low-income families. City, county, or state-level grants in these areas are directed to projects that can affect formation of national policy.
• THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION This foundation makes only restricted grants favoring requests supporting specific projects and programs. The foundation will (very) occasionally provide seed money, operating support, and start-up capital to smaller organizations. An average one-year grant ranges from $3,000 to $15,000. Requests for multi-year grants are considered. The foundation funds in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont (and very infrequently in Connecticut and Rhode Island). Grants are not made to individuals or for endowments, annual or capital campaigns, museums, religious programs, any religion-affiliated organization, conference participation/travel unrelated to a current foundation grant, scholarships, fellowships, building projects, equipment needs, or film and video projects. The Orchard Foundation is a member of the Association of Small Foundations, the Environmental Grantmakers Association, the Grantmakers for Children, Youth and Families, and the Maine Philanthropy Center. e-mail: orchard@maine.rr.com
• HELENA RUBINSTEIN FOUNDATION The Helena Rubinstein Foundation supports programs in education, community services, arts/arts in education, and health, with emphasis on projects which benefit women and children. Grants are made only to federally tax-exempt, non-profit organizations. Generally, they are for a one-year period. Support is not offered to individuals, or for film or video projects. Grants are rarely made to endowment funds and capital campaigns. The Foundation does not make loans and cannot provide emergency funds. Funding of new proposals is limited by ongoing commitments and fiscal constraints. Proposals are accepted throughout the year. There is no application form; however, the New York Common Application Form may be used. Organizations seeking funds are asked not to make telephone inquiries, but to submit a brief letter outlining the project, its aims, budget, amount requested, and other funding sources, as well as a description of the organization and its current budget.