Fathers and Families Center Announces Inaugural Fatherhood Conference

The October 7 conference will bring professionals and community leaders together in Indianapolis to strengthen the ways organizations engage and support fathers and families.

July 31, 2026

INDIANAPOLIS — Fathers and Families Center has opened registration for its inaugural Fatherhood Conference, taking place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, at Indianapolis Marriott North off 96th & Keystone.

Guided by the theme “Strong Fathers + Strong Families = Stronger Communities,” the full-day conference will bring together fatherhood and family-service providers, nonprofit and community leaders, healthcare professionals, workforce partners, educators, advocates, policymakers, and researchers.

“Fatherhood is connected to nearly every issue that affects the health and stability of families, including employment, education, reentry, mental health, and public health,” said Larry Smith, President and CEO of Fathers and Families Center. “This conference will convene people across sectors with the goal of sharing effective approaches, strengthening partnerships, and identifying better ways to support fathers, children, and families.”

The conference will open with a keynote address from Dr. Charles C. Daniels Jr., co-founder and CEO of Fathers’ UpLift. The nonprofit provides mental health counseling, coaching, and advocacy to help fathers overcome barriers and remain engaged in their children’s lives. A nationally recognized leader in fatherhood and mental health, Daniels brings expertise in clinical social work and developing father centered approaches that strengthen families.

Attendees will be able to choose from several sessions across three breakout blocks. Topics include father family reintegration following incarceration, culturally responsive engagement with Black fathers, economic ownership and generational stability, infant and family health, healthy relationships, program evaluation, and the experiences of boys and men in Indiana.

The conference will also feature a panel titled “Beyond Engagement: Reimagining Fatherhood as a Driver of Family and Community Outcomes.” Panelists will examine how fatherhood can be positioned as a strategy for strengthening families, improving systems, and advancing community well-being.

“For more than three decades, FFC has worked directly with fathers as they pursue stronger relationships, greater stability, and new opportunities,” Smith said. “We want to create a space in which practitioners, researchers, advocates, employers, and fathers themselves can learn from one another and help shape the future of fatherhood support.”

Since it began in 1993, Fathers and Families Center has served more than 27,000 fathers through services focused on parenting, employment, education, healthy relationships, and family stability. In 2025, the organization served 1,225 men across its programs.

The conference comes as Fathers and Families Center prepares for its next chapter of service through the $5.5 million Vision for the Future campaign, which will support program expansion, additional staff capacity, and FFC’s upcoming physical move. The conference also reflects the organization’s growing role as a convener for professionals and partners who are working to improve outcomes for fathers and families.

Fathers and Families Center is proud to share that Sagamore Institute is a co-convener of this highly anticipated conference. Led by President Jay Hein, Sagamore is an action-oriented think tank that builds and implements solutions to society's biggest problems. Combining policy research with entrepreneurial innovations, citizen participation, and impact investing, Sagamore advances practical and sustainable solutions to improve communities. Where other think tanks pay more attention to policy and its impact on politics, Sagamore drives change in support of individual prosperity and community renewal.

Early-bird registration for the conference is $125 through Sept. 1. Attendance is limited to 150 people. Registration includes the keynote, breakout sessions, featured panel, networking opportunities, and lunch.

REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE

To register or view the conference agenda, visit ffcindiana.org/fatherhood-conference.

About Fathers and Families Center:

Fathers and Families Center equips fathers and empowers families so children thrive. Since 1993, Fathers and Families Center has helped fathers across Central Indiana build stronger relationships with their children, gain stability, and take practical steps toward a stronger future for themselves and their families.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Drew Jones

Communications Manager

Fathers and Families Center

djones@ffcindiana.org

317-671-7943

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