“Are you focused on preventing foster care placements or do you do more than that?”

Preventing family separation is a major driver of our work—but it’s not the whole story. FRCs support families long before a crisis ever happens. That includes access to food, parenting groups, peer support, job help, and more. Strong families need strong communities, and we’re here to help both.

“What is the difference between an FRC and the Network?”

A Family Resource Center is a grassroots program aimed at strengthening families and supporting parents.  Because FRCs are driven by local needs and leadership, they earn deep trust from the families they serve.

That trust delivers results—stronger families, healthier kids, and more connected communities. (Link to your outcomes/stats here.)

But being local has its challenges. Many FRCs operate off the grid—without consistent funding, data systems, or access to best practices. That’s where the Network comes in.

The Iowa Family Resource Collaborative provides technical assistance, peer connection, and access to national expertise.

This brings local FRCs to the next level – and scales excellence in family support across the state.

“Should I donate to the Network or to one FRC?”

You can do either—or both! Supporting the Network helps all Iowa FRCs improve quality and reach more families. Supporting a specific FRC helps your local community thrive. Some donors choose to split their gift, and we’re happy to help you figure out the best fit for your intentions.

“What’s an example of how the Network helped a local FRC?”

When some Dubuque moms saw a problem - other women in the Child Welfare System not receiving the support they needed to keep their kids at home - the Iowa Family Resource Collaborative stepped in. We helped the founders define their mission, fundraise, and build a community of Moms. Although most of the women in the Mom’s Connect Community have had Child Welfare involvement, no regularly participating mom has lost another child to the system.

This is what the Iowa Family Resource Collaborative does.  This is the vision we’re bringing to kids, families, and family-centered programs across Iowa.

“Some of these FRCs seem pretty different from one another.  What’s that about?”

That’s by design. Each FRC is rooted in its own community—rural, urban, big, small. They adapt to local needs while sharing a commitment to family well-being. The Network helps ensure they all meet high standards, even if the day-to-day looks different from one place to another.

“Are FRCs only for families in poverty or families involved in child welfare?”

No, FRCs are designed for all families, so the support they provide is non-stigmatized and accessible.  All families can benefit from access to support for two of the most important roles we can have as adults - being parents, and being spouses/partners. 

“How do you measure success?”

We use research-backed tools to measure what works. We track the Five Protective Factors for Strengthening Families because they predict family stability, healthy child development, and lower rates of child abuse and neglect.  But we also measure success by who’s at the table. Because we lead alongside families and are building a cohort of parent mentors, we value parents who can say: “We helped build this.”

“Who else is talking about FRCs these days?”

These days it seems that everyone is talking about Family Resource Centers.  Congress recently passed legislation defining and encouraging investment in FRCs.  Casey Family Programs has published findings on how FRCs benefits kids and families – and save money.  And 39 states plus Washington D.C. have built statewide FRC Networks.  That means Iowa is now connected to a national movement for excellence in family support.