We know that strong families and strong communities lead to better outcomes for children. In response to parents’ frustrations at being left out of decisions on systems that directly impact their children, and agencies’ desires to work more effectively with families, Families First launched The Ripple Program. This program is based on a dual capacity-building framework with the intention to enhance the capacity of both parents and agencies.  

The Ripple Program is an empowering 8-month educational experience for Parent Leaders and agencies, in which they will attend trainings that provide concrete strategies and skill-building activities to make knowledge actionable. This will allow them to collaborate in co-creating and implementing effective and inclusive practices and policies that directly impact families and their communities. 

The Ripple Program offers trainings for parents and staff and an opportunity to work on a community impact project to practice skills and enhance current family engagement practices. There are three components: 

1. Parent Leadership Series (PLS): A 6-session weekly training series for parents that focuses on foundational principles in topics such as: working styles, effective communication, parent advocacy, systems change, and project management. 
2. Parent Leadership Staff Series (PLSS) Two training sessions for the agency staff members, that focus on Family Engagement, Parent Leadership, systems change, working together, designing Community Impact Projects, and valuing mentorship. 
3. Community Impact Projects (CIP): A 5-month project following the PLS, in which the Parent Leaders co-create and implement a project with the agency. The primary goals of each CIP are to allow Parent Leaders to practice and apply new skills gained through the PLS trainings and to empower agencies to expand their capacity, which will ripple into the communities.  

1. Training for Parent Leaders and agency staff with research-based curriculum facilitated by an experienced Program Facilitator. 
2. $1,000 stipends for each Parent Leader ($200 for PLS and $800 for CIP). 
3. Monthly learning cohort meetings for Community Impact Project teams.  
4. Access to The Ripple Program online resource portal.  
5. Up to two hours of technical assistance to support the Community Impact Project planning and implementation.  
6. Evaluation throughout the program, including a mid-point check-in, pre- and post-surveys, and a focus group afterwards. 
7. Mentorship by a trained CIP Ambassador who is an alum of the program. 

There are three Parent Leadership Tracks: 

The cost for The Ripple Program depends on the track you choose. 

FF Pathway: $14,000. This fee covers $1,000 stipends for each Parent Leader (3-4 Parent Leaders). Fee can be discussed if Families First has grants available or the agency needs assistance. 

Open Cohort: $14,000. This fee covers $1,000 stipends for each Parent Leader (up to 4 Parent Leaders).  

Closed Cohort: $65,000. This fee covers $1,000 stipends for each Parent Leader (up to 20 Parent Leaders). 

Please answer the following questions to self-assess whether your agency is a good fit. If you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Danit, the Program Coordinator, at dlieberman@families-first.org. 

1. Do you want to improve programming for families & children and enhance family engagement practices at your organization? 
2. Can you identify 3-4 Parent Leaders who can commit to the 8 months of the program? 
3. Do you have 1 or 2 staff members who can commit to the 8 months of the program? 
4. Is your organization available to pay the suggested fee of $14,000, payable in two installments of $7,000? 

If any of your answers are NO, please contact Danit Lieberman at dlieberman@families-first.org for further conversations. We want to hear from you and discuss if we can make it work! 

If all your answers are YES in the previous sections, The Ripple Program would be a good fit for you! 

1. Agency must fill out the application form (Application Form Link) 
2. Once the application is received, Families First will ensure The Ripple Program is a good fit and then will notify agencies within 30 days. 
3. Once approved, Families First will communicate with the agency to finalize the logistics. 
4. If there are any questions throughout the process, reach out to Danit Lieberman at dlieberman@families-first.org. 

When selecting Parent Leaders to participate in The Ripple Program, review the suggestions below. Parent Leaders should be:   

1. Individuals who are currently engaged as parent (caregivers) leaders/volunteers at your agency. 
2. Able to complete virtual 2-hour PLS training weekly for 6 weeks.  
3. Able to commit to the time requirements in the next 8 months.  
4. Parents who are eager to enhance their leadership skills and to impact their community in a new level. 

Parent Leaders will need to commit to the following: 

1. Two-hour virtual training sessions, once a week for 6 weeks (12 hours total). 
2. During the CIP 5-month process, Parent Leaders are expected to dedicate 8-10 hours of volunteer work monthly for the length of the project. This includes a monthly cohort meeting with Families First and other agencies in the cohort, as well as their own team meetings.  

Staff Members will need to commit the following: 

1. Two 2-hour virtual trainings (4 hours total). 
2. During the CIP 5-month process, staff members are expected to dedicate 6-8 hours to provide ongoing support to the team by coordinating and monitoring their tasks and attending team meetings. 

We will be holding Information Sessions to share more about the program. You can join one of the following scheduled meetings (sign up directly on the Zoom link), or you can also set up a time to meet with the Program Coordinator to discuss any questions you may have.  

• Info Session 1 (11/6 Monday 9AM) (https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsd-uvrT0vG9Q6k_F283ItI6SspGDHXcmV) 
• Info Session 2 (11/15 Wednesday 12PM) (https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtduutrDwpGNCRjyeDTXtVjp83nAprqzvS) 
• Info Session 3 (1/10 Wednesday 11AM) (https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tcO2grzosGNd3sC1SuOL8Jj_lpMLlhDhm) 
• 1:1 Meeting (Book time with Danit Lieberman: The Ripple Program application 1:1 Meetings)