GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 780
Short Title: All Pro Dads & Responsible Fatherhood NC. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Willis, D. Hall, B. Jones, and Bell (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Health, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations
of the House
April 7, 2025
*H780 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FU NDS FOR ADDITIONAL A LL PRO DAD CHAPTERS AND 2
CREATE A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT NORTH CAROLI NA FATHERS. 3
Whereas, research affirms that children with involved fathers tend to perform better 4
socially, maintain better school attendance, have a lower risk of dropping out, and are less likely 5
to engage in the use of drugs or alcohol; and 6
Whereas, the fatherlessness crisis in America affects 1 in 5 children, or 15.7 million 7
kids, who are raised without a father (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023); and 8
Whereas, 80% of single-parent households in the United States in 2023 were headed 9
by single mothers; and 10
Whereas, abundant research demonstrates that 71% of children growing up without a 11
father figure, whether physically or emotionally absent, perform more poorly academically and 12
experience regular truancy; and 13
Whereas, teens without a father are 7 times more likely to experience teen pregnancy 14
and have a 54% likelihood of being poorer than their parents; and 15
Whereas, there is an 85% chance that fatherless children will become involved with 16
the juvenile justice system (Children's Bureau, 2023); and 17
Whereas, fathers' engagement plays a critical role in helping children overcome 18
barriers to education, including mental, emotional, and behavioral challenges; and 19
Whereas, such engagement fosters improvements in social interactions, academic 20
performance, school attendance, and decreases the likelihood of dropping out, while improving 21
student performance; and 22
Whereas, conversely, impaired behaviors exhibited by fathers can lead to insufficient 23
development of a child's emotional intelligence and mental resilience, hindering their overall 24
growth and educational success; Now, therefore, 25
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 26
27
PART I. FUNDS FOR ALL PRO DAD 28
SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 29
Budget and Management the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for 30
the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Family First, Inc., the nonprofit 31
corporation registered in the state of Florida, to expand its All Pro Dad fatherhood program in 32
this State, provided that (i) the nonprofit registers as an entity with the Secretary of State to 33
conduct business in the State and (ii) the nonprofit allocates the funds appropriated in this act to 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 780-First Edition
expand its All Pro Dad program in North Carolina, including increasing All Pro Dad Chapters in 1
schools, holding events that encourage father-child engagement and foster improved 2
communication between children and fathers, and distributing resources to help fathers enhance 3
their parenting skills and become more involved in their children's lives. 4
5
PART II. RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD NC PROGR AM 6
SECTION 2.1. Article 2 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes is amended by 7
adding a new Part to read: 8
"Part 12. Responsible Fatherhood NC Act. 9
"§ 108A-70.60. Short title. 10
This act may be cited as the "Responsible Fatherhood NC Act." 11
"§ 108A-70.61. Definitions. 12
The following definitions apply in this Part: 13
(1) Department. – Refers to the Department of Health and Human Services. 14
(2) Program. – Refers to the Responsible Fatherhood NC program. 15
"§ 108A-70.62. Creation of the Responsible Fatherhood NC program; purpose. 16
(a) The General Assembly recognizes that families are stronger when both parents act 17
responsibly in caring for their children. It is the intent of the General Assembly to recognize and 18
support the important and unique role that fathers play in ensuring the physical, emotional, and 19
economic well-being of their children and families. 20
(b) The Department shall contract for the development and implementation of the 21
Responsible Fatherhood NC program. The program shall provide an opportunity for every father 22
in the State to be able to obtain information and inspiration that will motivate and enable him to 23
enhance his abilities as a father, recognizing that some fathers have greater challenges than others 24
and would benefit from greater support. 25
(c) The entity the Department contracts with to develop, implement, and manage the 26
program, "Program Manager," shall be a nonprofit organization that satisfies all of the following 27
criteria: 28
(1) Has a history of focusing on responsible fatherhood, including providing 29
online resources to fathers, and engaging fathers, father figures, and children 30
through community-based and school-based events to encourage responsible 31
fatherhood. 32
(2) Has the organizational capacity to manage a statewide initiative and 33
successfully carry out the requirements of this section. 34
(d) The Program Manager shall be solely responsible for developing, implementing, and 35
managing the program which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: 36
(1) A statewide media campaign that increases the awareness and importance of 37
fathers being involved in their children's lives. 38
(2) Resources and information for fathers and father figures to increase 39
engagement and involvement in their children's lives. 40
(3) Promotion of related fatherhood programs that are provided by the 41
Department of Public Instruction, the Community College System, or The 42
University of North Carolina System. 43
(e) To most effectively use the funds appropriated to this program, the Program Manager 44
shall identify and use other existing media assets, content, and online resources it deems 45
appropriate, including any existing media assets, content, and online resources it has available, 46
to implement and execute the items required by this section. 47
"§ 108A-70.63. Grants to address the needs of fathers. 48
(a) The Department shall award grants to nonprofit community-based organizations to 49
address the needs of fathers. The Department shall award the following types of grants: 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 780-First Edition Page 3
(1) Grants that comprehensively address the needs of fathers, such as assisting 1
them in finding employment, managing child support obligations, 2
transitioning from a period of incarceration, accessing health care, 3
understanding child development, and enhancing parenting skills. Services 4
provided shall be tailored to the needs of the father being served. Case 5
management services shall be provided to the fathers who are served by the 6
grants under this subdivision. 7
(2) Grants that provide evidence-based parenting education specifically for 8
fathers. The grants under this subdivision do not require case management 9
services. 10
(b) The Department shall prioritize applicants for a grant specified under subsection (a) 11
of this section based on all of the following: 12
(1) Need in a geographic area and the population to be served by the grant as 13
indicated by, at a minimum, all of the following: 14
a. Unemployment rates. 15
b. Incarceration rates. 16
c. Housing instability. 17
d. The number of single-parent households. 18
e. The number of public benefit recipients. 19
f. Graduation rates. 20
g. Levels of academic achievement. 21
(2) If an applicant has a primary mission of, or a history of a significant focus on 22
and effective work toward, addressing the needs of men in their role as fathers. 23
(3) Applicant current and historical involvement in the community being served. 24
(4) Applicant commitment and capability to employ competent staff who can 25
effectively engage with the fathers being served, including, at a minimum, 26
those individuals who share a similar background as the fathers being served. 27
(5) The number of individuals the applicant plans to serve through the grant and 28
the projected costs for the program. 29
(6) Applicant organizational capacity to effectively meet the requirements of the 30
grant and to deliver the programs proposed by the applicant. The Department 31
may offer technical assistance to applicants and grant recipients that have 32
lower organizational capacity as long as such organizations have, or the 33
organization's leadership has, significant experience serving fathers. 34
(c) Grants shall be awarded for no more than three years, with subsequent year funding 35
contingent on compliance with grant requirements and adequate performance. Grant recipients 36
shall submit reports to the Department in a format and at intervals prescribed by the Department." 37
SECTION 2.2. The Department has six months from the effective date of this act to 38
implement the requirements outlined in Section 1 of this act. 39
SECTION 2.3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 40
Health and Human Services the sum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) in nonrecurring funds 41
for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be used to implement the provisions of Section 1 of this act. Of 42
the funds appropriated by this act, the Department shall use up to two million dollars ($2,000,000) 43
to contract for the Program Manager as authorized in G.S. 108A-70.62. The remainder of the 44
funds shall be used for the grants authorized in G.S. 108A-70.63. 45
46
PART III. EFFECTIVE DATE 47
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 48