Advancing Place-Based, Practice-Driven,
Family Strengthening Policy

Welcome to the National Collaboration for Families!

The Collaboration aims to make family strengthening a priority by mainstreaming neighborhood-based, family-centered practices, programs and policy.  By leveraging the National Human Services Assembly's network of 80 health and human service member organizations, the Collaboration's objective is to promote family policy that contributes to family economic and social empowerment.

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Recent News

Putting Human Needs on the National Radar Screen  1/24/2012
In 2011, the National Human Services Assembly released Putting Human Needs on the National Radar Screen, a brief on messaging and collaborative action for nonprofit human service and community development organizations.
The Power of Positive Messaging: Moving Beyond the Poverty Frame  1/24/2012
In contrast to programs and policies that are framed as “building economic security,” research suggests that a “poverty” frame is less well-received.
From Inequality to Economic Opportunity: Creating an Opportunity Society  1/24/2012
Although the growth of income inequality has received lots of public attention in recent years, some experts argue that public policy should focus instead on expanding economic opportunity.
Disaster Messaging: Framing and Avoiding the Pitfalls of Messaging for Progressive Policies  1/24/2012
Frames are the cognitive structures we think with. The more the language of a particular frame is repeated, the stronger the frame gets.
A New Way to Talk About Health: Stay Simple, Values-Driven, and Solutions-Oriented  1/24/2012
When talking about health and health care, messages that sway Americans, are values- based and emotion-laden and not overly academic.
The Power of Storytelling: Advocating for Children and Youth  1/24/2012
There is a tendency among youth-serving organizations to focus on the continued problems rather than on the positive developments related to America’s young people.

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Policy Briefs

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Resources

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A Proud Partner of the Annie E. Casey Foundation

Annie E. Casey Foundation

The National Collaboration for Families was created with generous support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation as part of the Foundation's Neighborhood Transformation/Family Development and Making Connections initiatives.  Learn more about Making Connections and how communities across the country are putting family strengthening principles into action.

Strategies for Promoting the 3 Fundamentals of Strong Families
Writ Large Policy Brief

Strategies for Promoting the 3 Fundamentals of Strong Families

Strategies for nurturing relationships, quality support systems, and financial stability.

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FSN: News and resources for those in child & youth development, family development and community development and the places where the three converge to strengthen families with children.