Focus on the Family facts for kids
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| Founded | 1977 California, United States |
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| Founder | James Dobson |
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Area served
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98 countries |
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Key people
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Revenue
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$99,205,813 (2019 FY) |
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Employees
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880 (as of 2023) |
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Volunteers
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112 |
Focus on the Family, also known as FOTF, is an American Christian group. It was started in 1977 by James Dobson in Southern California. Today, its main office is in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is a type of Christian group known as a parachurch organization, which means it works alongside churches to provide special programs and services.
The organization is known for its conservative views on social topics. It supports laws based on its beliefs about marriage and family. It also has specific views on topics like education and prayer in schools.
Focus on the Family shares its ideas through a daily radio show, hosted by its president, Jim Daly. The group also creates books, magazines, and videos. It produces popular shows for children, like Adventures in Odyssey.
In 2017, the organization began calling itself a church. This changed how it reports its finances to the government. Usually, a church has a congregation and regular worship services.
Contents
History of the Organization
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The Early Years with James Dobson
From 1977 to 2003, James Dobson was the only leader of Focus on the Family. The group started by offering programs about parenting. It also became involved in politics, which made it different from many other Christian groups at the time. By the 1990s, the organization was very well-known, especially among conservative Christians.
Some early members felt the group was becoming "too political." They believed it was moving away from its first goal of helping families. The group's radio shows and movies, made by Focus on the Family Films, were very important to its work.
In 2003, Jim Daly became the president and CEO. He took over the daily tasks of running the organization. Dobson stayed as the chairman of the board until 2009. In 2010, Dobson left Focus on the Family completely and started a new group called Family Talk.
Changes After Dobson's Departure
When Jim Daly became president, he tried to make the organization less focused on politics. He connected with people and groups that the founder, James Dobson, had avoided. This included political figures from the Democratic Party.
In 2008, the organization faced money problems and had to reduce its staff and budget.
In 2017, Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the group's 40th anniversary party. He said that then-President Donald Trump supported the organization's goals. This event was criticized by groups that support LGBT rights.
Main Programs and Activities
Wait No More
The "Wait No More" program helps children in foster care find families. It works with adoption agencies and churches to encourage people to adopt. In Colorado, this program helped lower the number of children waiting for adoption from about 800 to 350.
Option Ultrasound Program
This program gives money to crisis pregnancy centers. These centers can then buy ultrasound machines or pay for training. The goal of the program is to show pregnant women images of the developing baby.
Boundless.org
Boundless.org is a website for young adults between the ages of 18 and 34. It has articles, a blog, and a podcast. The site talks about topics like relationships, careers, and pop culture from a Christian viewpoint.
Plugged In
Plugged In is a website and publication that reviews movies, music, TV shows, and books. It was created to help families choose entertainment that matches their values. It is one of the organization's most popular resources.
Day of Dialogue
The Day of Dialogue was an event for students. It was created to encourage students to talk about their beliefs on social topics in a respectful way. It was started in opposition to the Day of Silence, an event that protests bullying of LGBT students.
Radio Theatre
Radio Theatre produces radio dramas. They have created audio versions of famous books like Les Miserables and The Chronicles of Narnia. Many of the people who work on the children's show Adventures in Odyssey also work on Radio Theatre.
Political Views and Actions
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Focus on the Family is a non-profit group, which means it cannot support specific political candidates. However, it can spend money on promoting its political ideas. It has a separate partner group, Family Policy Alliance, that can be more involved in politics.
Views on Social Issues
Focus on the Family supports the idea of intelligent design, which is a form of creationism. The group sells books and videos that promote this idea.
Views on Marriage and Family
One of the group's main political positions is its view on marriage. Focus on the Family believes marriage should only be between a man and a woman. It has worked to oppose same-sex marriage and civil unions.
Because of its positions, some civil rights groups have criticized Focus on the Family. The Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that tracks hate groups, has identified Focus on the Family as a group that opposes LGBT rights. In May 2025, the SPLC officially classified Focus on the Family as a hate group.
Use of Research
Some scientists have said that Focus on the Family has used their research in misleading ways. For example, researcher Judith Stacey said the group used her work to wrongly claim that same-sex couples are not good parents. Other researchers, including Carol Gilligan and Kyle Pruett, have also asked the group to stop using their work to support its political goals.
Focus on the Family has said that these claims are not true. The group states that its position is that children do best with both a mother and a father.
Super Bowl Commercials
In 2010, Focus on the Family aired a commercial during Super Bowl XLIV. It featured football player Tim Tebow and his mother.
In 2012, the group aired another ad during an NFL playoff game. This ad featured children reciting the Bible verse John 3:16.
Awards and Recognition
In 2008, James Dobson's Focus on the Family radio show was added to the National Radio Hall of Fame. The public voted for the winners online. The decision was protested by groups who disagreed with the organization's views.
Headquarters
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The headquarters of Focus on the Family is a large, 47-acre campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It has four main buildings. The organization moved there from California in 1991.
At its largest, the organization had 1,400 employees in 2002. After some job cuts over the years, it had about 650 employees in 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Enfoque a la Familia para niños
- Christian fundamentalism
- James Dobson
- Jim Daly
- Love Won Out
