Family Forward NC^®

Our report, Work that Works for Families: Benchmarking Family Forward NC® Certified Employers, analyzes the policies and practices of 132 Certified Employers across 40 NC counties, alongside nearly 8,000 employee survey responses from October 2022 to June 2025. The report is released at the Family Forward NC® Summit for Certified Employers and those aspiring to become certified.

We partner with Action Greensboro and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce to build a family-friendly community. Over 16 months, 82 employers are certified, representing over 46,000 employees, designating Greensboro as the First Family Forward NC® Certified Community in our state. The campaign success results in launching this strategy in more communities.

NC employers can now apply for our Family Forward NC® Employer Certification, designating businesses and organizations that support the health and well-being of families and children.

The NC Department of Commerce’s First in Talent Economic Development Strategic Plan calls for investment in children and working families as a way to build a more prosperous and resilient economy. The plan recommends family-friendly workplace policies as important support for working parents and recognizes Family Forward NC® as a resource for employers.

How to Build a Family Forward Community is published as a playbook for the out-of-state licensing of Family Forward NC® resources. Licensed materials are customizable and adaptable, and licenses have been sold to organizations in Iowa, Tennessee, Indiana, Virginia, Minnesota, Montana, Florida, Colorado, and Kansas.

At NC State University’s Institute for Emerging Issues Forum, we release the research basis for family-friendly workplace policies and launch Family Forward NC®. ​​Our Guide to Family Forward Workplaces catalogs a list of policies that improve workplace productivity, recruitment and retention, and support children’s development. The first Family Forward NC® Summit gathers champions, stakeholders, and business leaders.