Foster Care to Success

What Foster Care to Success does

Foster Care to Success (FC2S) is a 45-year-old nonprofit organization founded in 1981 as the Orphan Foundation of America by Joseph Rivers. It operates as the nation's largest college scholarship program serving students who have experienced foster care, having awarded millions of dollars in scholarships, grants, and direct support to thousands of young adults pursuing higher education and career opportunities. The organization also played a direct role in shaping public policy, informing the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 and the nationwide Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program.

FC2S delivers two interconnected offerings: its legacy postsecondary scholarship and student support programs, and its newer CommunityNow initiative (launched 2026) focused on Career and Technical Education (CTE) training and two-year degree programs in healthcare and construction. CommunityNow provides student-focused financial support including stipends, grants that replace student loans, funding for tools and uniforms, and certification testing fees, delivered through direct partnerships with selected community colleges, CTE providers, and local initiatives.

The business model is entirely philanthropic. FC2S generates revenue through charitable donations and grants from foundations, government sources, and individual donors, with no commercial revenue streams. The organization operates with a lean team of 16 employees and relies on a nationwide network of board members, staff, volunteers, and donors for outreach and program delivery. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization's digital presence is limited to its website (fc2success.org) and the CommunityNow initiative website (communitynow.org).

Name

Foster Care to Success

Legal name

Foster Care to Success

Website

https://fc2success.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Foster Care to Success (FC2S) is a 45-year-old nonprofit operating the nation's largest college scholarship program for foster youth, delivering scholarships, grants, and CTE workforce training through community college partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants and Donations: As a nonprofit organization, FC2S generates revenue through charitable donations and grants from donors, foundations, and government sources. The organization awards scholarships, grants, and direct support to students who have experienced foster care. No commercial revenue streams are present.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Foster Care to Success is a nonprofit that awards postsecondary scholarships, grants, and direct financial support to young adults who have experienced foster care, and pairs those funds with one-on-one volunteer coaching to help students navigate education, employment, housing, and young adulthood. Through its 2026-launched CommunityNow initiative, it also funds Career and Technical Education training and two-year degree programs at partner community colleges and CTE providers, with a focus on healthcare and construction credentials, including stipends, grants that replace student loans, tools, uniforms, and certification testing fees.

Product overview

Foster Care to Success operates two interconnected offerings: its legacy postsecondary scholarship and student support programs (the nation's largest college scholarship program serving students who experienced foster care), and its newer CommunityNow initiative (launched 2026) focused on career and technical education training and two-year degree programs. CommunityNow builds on the foundational work of FC2S by expanding into workforce development, addressing job shortages in healthcare and construction while helping young adults quickly enter the workforce with in-demand skills and minimal student loan debt.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CommunityNow A workforce development initiative that connects young adults — particularly those who have experienced foster care — with Career and Technical Education (CTE) training and two-year degree programs leading to employment in healthcare and construction. It provides stipends, grants that replace student loans, funding for tools and uniforms, and certification testing fees through partner community colleges and CTE providers.
• FC2S Scholarship and Student Support Programs Long-standing postsecondary scholarships and student support programs that help young adults who have experienced foster care navigate education, employment, housing, and young adulthood. Includes educational grants and one-on-one volunteer coaching to help participants set goals and make informed decisions.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Community CollegescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunityNow initiative partners directly with selected community colleges offering programs in healthcare and construction. These institutions deliver CTE training and two-year degree programs to FC2S-supported students. FC2S provides financial support including stipends, grants, and funding for tools, uniforms, and certification fees.
• CTE (Career and Technical Education) ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunityNow partners with CTE providers offering programs in healthcare and construction industries. These partnerships enable students to earn credentials that lead to employment and long-term economic stability. FC2S investment is student-focused and may include stipends, grants, tools, uniforms, and certification testing fees.
• Local InitiativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunityNow invests in local partnerships that help talented young adults pursue education, training, and credentials needed to succeed in the workforce. These initiatives work with community colleges and CTE providers to address critical workforce needs in healthcare and construction.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• iFoster: A national nonprofit providing resources, education support, and workforce pathways specifically to youth in foster care and those aging out. Closely matches FC2S's target population and wraparound support approach.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit helping low-income and first-generation students get into and through college via one-on-one coaching and financial aid support. Comparable to FC2S's college access and student-success support services.
• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing training, credentials, and career placement to young adults from underserved communities. Closely comparable to FC2S's CommunityNow initiative targeting healthcare and construction credentials.
• National Foster Youth Institute: Youth-led advocacy and leadership organization for current and former foster youth. Comparable foster-youth mission and policy-influence orientation aligned with FC2S's advocacy history.
• Say Yes to Education: National nonprofit offering scholarships and comprehensive supports to underserved students to promote college access and completion. Comparable to FC2S's scholarship plus student support model for disadvantaged youth.
• College Track: College access and completion nonprofit serving students from communities historically underrepresented in higher education. Comparable scholarship plus wraparound support model targeting similar outcomes.
• FosterClub: National peer-led network for youth in and from foster care providing advocacy, leadership training, and transition support. Strong overlap with FC2S's foster-youth focus and youth development orientation.
• Scholarship America: One of the largest U.S. nonprofits administering scholarships and educational support, with a similar donor-funded model and broad employer/foundation partnerships. Directly comparable to FC2S's legacy scholarship program and postsecondary access focus.

Emerging players

• Genesys Works: Nonprofit providing skills training, internships, and career pathways to high school students from underserved communities. Comparable to CommunityNow's workforce credentialing focus, though it serves a broader population than foster youth.

Broad incumbents

• United Negro College Fund (UNCF): Large, established education nonprofit providing scholarships and support to underrepresented students. Comparable scholarship administration scale and donor-funded model, though it focuses on a broader student population than FC2S.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foster-care-to-success

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foster Care to Success