Our beginning:
Fathers Building Futures (FBF) has proven to be an adaptable program. It has undergone changes to size and scope but has continued to serve its mission.
Fathers Building Futures started as an enterprise of PB&J Family Services. Fathers Building Futures was launched through funding provided by the United States Department of Health & Human Services in 2012.
Becoming an independent nonprofit:
In 2016, the original HHS grant was expiring and significant growth in the program had occurred. So much so at this point Fathers Building Futures had become too large to be housed as a program under PB&J Family Services. Fathers Building Futures received a one-year bridge grant from the Department of Justice and began a process of stepping out on their own.
In February 2017, Fathers Building Futures received their official nonprofit status from the IRS.
Fathers Building Futures sought advice on the business model from local nonprofit business and financial advisors, including WESST, Prosperity Works, and Wells Fargo. The organization transitioned and continued to offer its program in the years since. In 2019, a leadership change occurred in which Joseph Shaw became Executive Director at Fathers Building Futures. This brought to completion a goal of being led by a formerly incarcerated individual as head of the Fathers Building Futures organization. A hope and ambition that had been held by the organization since its origins. One of the key moves made under this new leadership and group was an interest in aligning with partners or other parties who could help Fathers Building Futures scale to larger levels and increase the social impact of its mission. A hope from this type of alignment was a break from the struggles of growing the organization. Past attempts came with no success of consistent and sustainable growth for the FBF organization.
In 2020, the management and board of directors of FBF voted to undertake a strategic merger into the social enterprise known as the Atrisco Companies. An alignment that allowed FBF to maintain its individual brand and identity but gain the business, strategic and resource support of the larger Atrisco organization. For more information about Fathers Building Futures or the Atrisco Companies go to www.atriscocompanies.com.