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• Submit Your Proposals for NCFR 2026
• Seeking Half-Day Workshop Proposals
• Family Science in the Media
• Policy Corner
• Proposal Reviewers Needed |
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• Submit NCFR Grant Proposals
• New NCFR Research
• Calls for Papers
• Apply for FR Editorial Fellowship
• >> Job Opportunities << |
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2026 NCFR Annual Conference | Minneapolis | Nov. 18-21
Submit Your Proposals: Families at the Nexus of Law and Policy
Proposals Due by April 1, 2026
Bring your research, teaching, and practice to the forefront of how law and policy shape families—and how Family Science can shape law and policy in return. This year's theme is Families at the Nexus of Law and Policy: The Intended and Unintended Consequences of Legislating Families and Relationships. Read more.
New for 2026: Submit a proposal for a half-day workshop on Saturday at the conference. Learn more.
Don’t miss this opportunity to share your expertise, strengthen your professional leadership, and connect with colleagues across the transdisciplinary Family Science community.
Submit your proposals by April 1, 2026.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSALS |
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NCFR MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES |
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NCFR Grants
Submit Your Research Grant Proposals by April 1
NCFR grant submission period is now open!
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NCFR Olson Grant: Bridging Research, Theory, and Practice: $10,000 annual grant available to NCFR members working to creatively contribute to the discipline of Family Science by bridging research, theory, and practice in their work. Learn more.
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NCFR Darling Family Life Education Research Initiative Grant: $5,000 biennial grant available to NCFR members and Certified Family Life Educators with the purpose of integrating Family Science research into the practice of Family Life Education. Learn more.
Please note: Application for IRB approval must be submitted prior to submitting the grant application and match the project name. |
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NCFR Volunteers
Call for Conference Proposal Reviewers
Sign up by April 1
A large number of proposals is expected for this year's NCFR conference, and your involvement as proposal reviewer is paramount to ensure a high-quality program. All proposals will be blind-reviewed.
Serving as a proposal reviewer is a benefit of NCFR membership.
SIGN UP TO REVIEW
Not a member? Join or renew your membership and you too can partake in this volunteer opportunity. |
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POLICY |
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Join the NCFR Delegation in Washington, D.C.
Social Science Advocacy Day
March 23-24, 2026
Join NCFR for Social Science Advocacy Day 2026, hosted by the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA). Current registration is $125/members and $50/students. Make sure to register now!
Unable to attend in person? Join us virtually! Meeting with your elected officials has just as much impact. Only you can provide real-world examples of how Family Science and Social Science informs policy, improves programs, and empowers and strengthens families and communities. Find out how you can participate from home here.
Already registered or plan on attending? Complete this webform so we can plan to gather as a group: COSSA NCFR Delegation. |
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NCFR Policy Corner
This Week's Policy Highlights
March 13, 2026 | Five-Minute Read
Fiscal & Legislative Updates
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Federal Funding Finalized: Congress secured FY2026 funding through September, boosting early childhood programs and protecting disability services. However, a Department of Homeland Security shutdown began on Feb. 13 after a continuing resolution lapsed, temporarily halting some agency services as debates over funding continue.
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Minnesota Medicaid Halt: The federal government is withholding $259 million in Medicaid funds from Minnesota following an audit and fraud allegations. State officials have until late April to provide a corrective action plan. In response, Minnesota filed a lawsuit on March 5 to restore critical funding for public health programs.
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Kansas SB 244 Enacted: Kansas has implemented SB 244, which mandates that birth certificates and driver’s licenses reflect sex assigned at birth. The law further enforces sex segregation in restrooms and domestic violence shelters. A lawsuit was filed on Feb. 27 challenging the law's restrictions on gender-affirming facilities.
SEE FULL HIGHLIGHTS |
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NEWS |
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In the News
Family Science 5: Research & Researchers in the Media
Catch up on Family Science research and researchers featured in the media last month.
Among February highlights, NCFR member Sothy Eng, Ph.D., wrote for The Conversation about the suspension of family-based immigrant visas in the U.S.; Dr. Eng's piece was picked up by numerous news outlets, and it references research from all three NCFR journals.
See what else made this month's Family Science 5 for February below.
READ ALL ARTICLES |
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Certified Family Life Education
9 Programs Renew CFLE-Approved Status
NCFR congratulates the following programs that have renewed their status as meeting the criteria for the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) certification:
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Ball State University - B.A. and B.S. Family and Consumer Sciences
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Bowling Green State University - B.S. Human Development & Family Science
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Florida State University - B.S. Human Development and Family Science
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Loma Linda University - Ph.D. Systems, Families and Couples
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McNeese State University - B.A. Sociology
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Samford University - B.S. Human Development and Family Science
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Texas Woman’s University - B.S. / Child Development or Family Studies
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Texas Woman’s University - M.S. / Child Development or Family Studies
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Texas Woman’s University - Ph.D. / Human Development and Family Studies
EXPLORE THESE PROGRAMS |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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CFLE Conversation
Increasing Your Visibility as a Certified Family Life Educator
May 6, 2026 / Noon - 1 p.m. CT / Free for CFLEs
Facilitator: Jody Johnston Pawel, LSW, CFLE, CTSS, CFLC-E
Are you a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) trying to advertise yourself and your services? Join this conversation to engage in active discussion with other CFLEs about ideas, challenges, and tips for increasing your visibility as a CFLE. Come prepared to share and chat with others. The facilitator will share their experiences and guide the conversation.
Ms. Johnston Pawel is an award-winning author of over 100 research-based parenting curricula, programs, and resources. She has trained over 100,000 parents and professionals and has certified over 100 Parent’s Toolshop® trainers and coaches worldwide. She serves as a parenting expert to the media, with 300+ media appearances in the first year of the launch of her award-winning book The Parent’s Toolshop®, and was the Assistant Producer and On-air Parenting Expert of the Emmy-nominated Ident-a-Kid television series.
RESERVE YOUR SEAT
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NCFR JOURNALS |
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NCFR Journals
New Issue of JFTR & More From NCFR's Journals
Read 7 New Early-View Articles Published March 1–7
Catch up on the latest research from NCFR's scholarly journals — Journal of Marriage and Family (JMF), Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science (FR), and Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR).
In addition to new early-view articles from FR, the March issue of JFTR is available online now. The issue includes an "Original Voices" piece by NCFR Fellow Pauline Boss, Ph.D.; several articles on theoretical advances; a number of scoping reviews and "Emerging Voices" articles; and more.
SEE ALL NEW NCFR RESEARCH
If you are an NCFR member subscribed to one of our journals, you can access articles by logging into your NCFR account. You can also sign up for email alerts. |
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NCFR Journals Apply for an Editorial Fellowship With Family Relations
Application Deadline: April 10, 2026
The editorial team of NCFR’s Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science is seeking three Editorial Fellows, with the objective of increasing participation in the editorial process for early-career professionals and those who have an interest in Family Science. Persons whose voices have historically been underrepresented are encouraged to apply.
Fellows will develop experience with and skills in manuscript review, editorial processes, and evaluation of translational implications of research, and will become familiar with Family Science research from around the world.
Apply by April 10, 2026. Successful candidates will be notified by mid-April/early May 2026. Fellowships will run from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, with the possibility of extending into a second year.
LEARN MORE & APPLY
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CALLS FOR PAPERS |
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NCFR Journals
Last Call: March 15 Deadline for JFTR Special Issue Submissions
Theme: Theorizing Families and the State
March 15 is the deadline to submit manuscripts for a special issue of NCFR's Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) themed "Theorizing Families and the State," which will highlight the ways in which family privilege and oppression are socially structured and reproduced by the state via laws, policies, rules, and regulations in the modern era.
SEE CALL FOR PAPERS
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Family Relations Special Section Call for Papers
Theme: Ukrainian Forced Migrants' Transnational Families
NCFR's Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science (FR) is seeking submissions for a special section themed "Ukrainian Forced Migrants’ Transnational Families: New Relationality and Shared Agency."
Submit letters of intent by April 30. For authors invited to submit, manuscripts will be due Sept. 30.
SEE CALL FOR PAPERS |
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NCFR Nexus
Family Communication and Conflict Resolution
Submission Deadline: May 1
The summer 2026 issue of NCFR Nexus will explore family communication and conflict resolution using the broadest possible definition of "family."
Healthy and effective communication is essential to family well-being and supports NCFR’s vision is of "Every Family Thriving." Yet, communication breakdowns and unresolved conflicts are common challenges across all types of families, regardless of structure, background, or stage in the family life cycle.
NCFR Nexus invites articles from researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers. Submissions are due May 1, 2026, via the NCFR Nexus Article Submission Form.
READ MORE
Questions or ideas? Contact editor Beth Magistad, Ph.D., CFLE, at nexuseditor@ncfr.org. |
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NCFR PUBLICATIONS |
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Wisdom for Parents. Key Ideas from Parent Educators
Edited by Elizabeth A. Ramsey, Ph.D., CFLE
$29.95 retail. $25.95 for CFLEs
Family Science professionals from across the discipline share stories, reflection, and poems in this extensive collection of parenting knowledge that can benefit anyone— teachers, researchers, students, and parents!
A variety of relevant topics on the joys and challenges of parenting are woven together to create a valuable resource both in and out of the classroom setting. This second edition includes updated entries, new contributions, and discussion questions.
Family Life Education: The Practice of Family Science
Edited by Wm. Michael Fleming, Ph.D., CFLE; and Michael J. Walcheski, Ph.D., CFLE
$79.99 retail. $69.99 for NCFR members and CFLEs
Useful and informative for seasoned and emerging professionals, as well as for students, this textbook provides a comprehensive examination of the profession from the perspectives of many leading family scholars and educators.
The second edition includes four sections that consider the knowledge and skills needed for the effective practice of Family Life Education (FLE) and chapters on FLE with various populations and relevant issues. |
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NCFR JOBS CENTER |
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Employment Opportunities
Employers: Get your job opening included in Zippy News by posting it in
NCFR's online Jobs Center! Get started here.
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Weber State University
The Department of Child and Family Studies at Weber State University seeks a full-time, tenure-track assistant professor to teach undergraduate and graduate courses for 12 hours per semester in Family Science, Family Life Education, Human Development, and Marriage and Family Therapy with expectations of publication, student advising, and participation in departmental, university, and community committees. Preference will be given to applicants with clinical training and work experience.
Location: Ogden, Utah
Required Education: Doctorate
Application Deadline: Open until filled
SEE FULL DETAILS
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