Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education for Youth
Relationships, Education, Advancement, and Development for Youth for Life (READY4Life)
Youth approaching adulthood face complex decisions about romantic partners, family formation, jobs, and career paths. Some youth face greater difficulties transitioning to adulthood, lacking support for education, housing, healthcare, and employment. These youth may risk early parenting, dating violence, or exploitation, often without stable home environments or caring adult relationships.
Services that build healthy relationship skills can help youth successfully transition to adulthood by strengthening their capacity to continue education, begin careers, and establish healthy relationships. Research shows the "success sequence"—completing education, obtaining employment, and marrying before childbearing—correlates with lower poverty rates (e.g., Goesling, Inanc, and Rachidi, 2010). ACF reinforces the success sequence by funding projects that offer marriage and relationship education and, where applicable and approved, parenting skills and/or job and career advancement activities.
The Relationships, Education, Advancement, and Development for Youth for Life (READY4Life) program funds demonstration projects to help youth build healthy relationship skills while supporting positive socioemotional development and successful transitions to adulthood. Services include healthy marriage and relationship education, parenting skills for young parents, and financial management and career advancement activities for youth ages 14-24.
Projects must include at least 12 hours of curriculum-based workshops delivered in more than two sessions over at least two weeks. Curricula must be evidence-informed and skills-based.
READY4Life grantees can provide services under these healthy marriage promotion activities, from the legislative authority:
- Education in High Schools — Education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting.
- Marriage and Relationship Education/Skills (MRES) — Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement.
- Public Advertising Campaigns — Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health.
Learn more by reading the FY2025 Funding Opportunity Announcement: