Churches could run gov’t supported ‘marriage bootcamps’ to ‘save’ America: report

February 17, 2026

A new report suggests that cohabiting couples with children could receive a “wedding bonus” of up to $5,000 through government-supported marriage bootcamps that encourage them to formalize their relationship with a wedding.

The Christian Post reports that Heritage Foundation’s report “Saving America by Saving the Family: A Foundation for the Next 250 Years” was published last month.

The report proposes ways to “remove the many obstacles blocking the formation of healthy families, to make marriage and family life easier, and to restore family to the center of American life in rhetoric and in reality.”

Researchers Roger Severino, Jay W. Richards, Emma Waters, Delano Squires, Rachel Sheffield, and Robert Rector explain that the marriage bootcamp proposal isn’t exactly a new thing.

They point to previous federal programs such as the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grants, which are intended “to help couples to communicate better, manage conflict, and jointly support their children.”

According to the Christian Post, the researchers say, “A related idea would combine several of these elements into a marriage ‘bootcamp’ for cohabiting couples with children. Recruitment could be done through local nonprofits that work with families as well as radio, transit, and social media advertisements.”

The report describes the $5,000 “wedding bonus”, paid through foundations or private donors rather than with government funds, as the most innovative aspect of the marriage, as it would encourage couples to get married and stay married.

Critics of the program have expressed concerns over the idea of government-supported marriage boot camps administered by local churches and nonprofits.

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