In October of 2000 more than 30 researchers, policymakers, practitioners, school leaders, and other specialists in the field of fathers and families gathered to convene the National Center on Fathers and Families (NCOFF) Roundtable on Fathering and Family Processes. Themes emerging from the roundtable discussion included: refining concepts of fatherhood and paternal involvement; a shift of focus to family processes; and incorporating cultural specificity into research, policy, and practice. This report synthesizes the discussion of these themes and their implications for policymaking. The first section of the paper includes summaries of the research papers presented, as well as discussants' and participants' commentaries. The second section describes the current and emerging issues relating to father poverty and social vulnerability that arose during the discussions; these issues include extending notions of family goals and culture, understanding gender roles and power dynamics, and incorporating culture, class, and race. The third section offers new directions for research, including relating research directly to policy and practice, and studying perceptions as outcomes, not just inputs. The fourth section explores the implications of the issues raised for policymaking. The final section describes lessons learned for educators, practitioners, and program designers. The report concludes with the Roundtable agenda and participant list. (HTH)