2025 A Year of Progress
Change in child and family systems happens over time. It takes shape as communities test new ideas, align leaders across sectors, and build better pathways for families to access support. In 2025, Foster America worked with partners across the country to advance systems change in tangible ways: connecting families to support through voluntary pathways rather than child welfare investigations, shaping system design through new Family Voice Councils, and helping shift public funding strategies toward connecting families to the resources and relationships they need to thrive. The milestones below highlight key moments from this shared progress.
Partnered with the Imagination Factory as they launched a Creative Cluster exploring housing innovation as a strategy to strengthen family stability. Led an interactive workshop at SXSW EDU , engaging educators and cross-sector leaders in conversations about strengthening support for families. Launched the OPT-In Implementation & Learning Lab , bringing partners across four sites together to share learning and guide implementation.
Began an engagement with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families , advancing prevention data dashboards, lived-expert engagement, and financing reform. Welcomed a new cohort of Technology Leadership Circle fellows , working with MIT collaborators to advance technology prototypes designed by leaders with lived experience.
Engaged the Bridgespan Group to develop Foster America’s next strategic initiative to strengthen our role in advancing an equity- centered field for child and family well-being. Opened the first OPT- In voluntary support pathway , connecting families to help before a child welfare investigation.
Co-hosted the Fostering Futures Forum with the MIT Media Lab , showcasing technology solutions designed by Technology Leadership Circle fellows —leaders with lived experience in the child welfare system— to strengthen youth belonging, mental health, and well-being.
Community Cafés across three counties engaged more than 100 residents and advisory partners to help shape South Carolina’s OPT-In voluntary support pathway.
Colorado Family Voice Councils became operational in Morgan County and the Four County Collaborative , elevating parent leadership in local system design.
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Welcomed a delegation from Japan to Colorado to exchange insights on strengthening families and redesigning child welfare systems, in collaboration with the Kempe Center. Hosted cross-sector convenings in multiple cities , bringing leaders from education, philanthropy, technology, and government together to explore how communities can support families earlier.
Completed cross-sector implementation planning for Colorado’s 211 Warmline pilot , an upstream alternative to the child abuse hotline designed to connect families with voluntary support in Boulder, Gilpin, and Pueblo counties. Extended our partnership with Youth Villages’ New Allies initiative , supporting child welfare leaders in Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana to track prevention outcomes and systems change progress.
Hosted Beyond Survival , a public learning series in which National Leadership Circle fellows shared innovative approaches to housing stability, trauma-informed practice, education equity, and more—grounded in lived experience. Aligned Thriving Families, Safer Children partners around a shared vision for strengthening families and reducing unnecessary system involvement nationwide.
Celebrated 14 Fiscal Leadership Circle fellows—leaders overseeing $4.3B in child welfare funding —as they completed the fellowship and advanced strategies to redirect public financing toward strengthening families. Hosted a virtual summit highlighting Foster America’s four strategies for systems change : co-design, collaboration, financing reform, and data-driven learning. Washington State partners co-designed a prevention framework with DCYF leaders and community stakeholders to guide future prevention investments.
Became a founding strategic partner of Child Welfare Wonk , a national policy intelligence platform reaching nearly 2,000 senior decision-makers in child and family policy. Expanded our research partnership with RTI International to support the National and State Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSSCAW), the nation’s largest child welfare study.
Delivered cross-state learning reports for Youth Villages’ New Allies initiative , synthesizing interviews and early implementation insights from Mississippi, Kentucky, and Louisiana. Activated the Colorado 211 Warmline pilot , giving mandated reporters an alternative pathway to connect families to support. Welcomed 15 new leaders into the second cohort of the Fiscal Leadership Circle , launching the next year-long fellowship focused on redesigning public financing for family support.
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4 | FOSTER AMERICA 2025 ANNUAL REPORT
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