Frequently Asked Questions

Fostering Great Ideas^® is an innovative nonprofit that restores hope to children and youth in foster care. Our "Great Ideas" are solutions to problems that children and youth in foster care experience. We develop ideas that lessen their pain and trauma, restores their self-worth, and supports them to reach their full potential. Learn more about our innovative process here.

Fostering Great Ideas^® provides emotional and academic support to children throughout their journey in foster care. Our innovative ideas solve problems that children and youth experience while in the foster care system. Check out our Great Ideas to learn more.

Fostering Great Ideas^® operates independently from social services. When a child enters foster care, the state social service agency assumes temporary legal custody of the child and makes all decisions regarding placement. The child's well-being is monitored by social services until the child can successfully reunify or find permanence through adoption/guardianship. Fostering Great ideas^® provides meaningful relationships through innovative ideas, restoring hope to children.

Fostering Great Ideas^® has significant operations in South Carolina and in Colorado. We continue to grow and operate Life in Limbo^® in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Virgina, Texas, and Hawaii, as well as Guatemala and Mexico. We also have virtual training opportunities, where individuals can participate from wherever they are.

A referral process is used for our "Great Ideas" that support children and youth (Life Support^®, Tutor Match^®, College Fellows^®) and restore families (Moms Matter^®, Sib-Link^®, It's All Relative^®). Anyone can complete a referral, including youth (for yourself!), case managers, mentors, CASA/GALs, family members, foster parents, friends, and anyone who knows the child or family. Simply share as much information as you know on the referral form found on each program's page.

Our "Great Ideas" that connect communities (Care2Foster^®, Life in Limbo^®, Speak Up^®) do not utilize a referral process. Anyone in the community is encouraged to join our work of meeting the needs of children and youth in foster care. We do this by recruiting and supporting foster parents, teaching what foster care is like through a role play workshop, and advocating for legislative changes to reform foster care.

Once a referral is received, our team will contact you within 3 days and discuss next steps. Most of our work is in partnership with social services, so we will often engage the case manager for further insights and to develop a full team approach.

There are many ways to join the mission of restoring hope to children and youth in foster care. Become a donor. Volunteer as a mentor or tutor. Help us host a Thanksgiving Grace^® meal or a Siblings with Santa^® event. Attend a Life in Limbo^® workshop to learn what foster care feels like. Support our annual benefit event. Become a foster parent or support a foster parent.

Begin with listening to the children and youth. What are they telling us?

Or, start here at Fostering Great Ideas^®. It takes many incredible people to do this work. We would love to hear from you! Contact us if you'd like to engage further. Thank you.

If you are a youth in foster care, an alumni of foster care, a foster parent, or a mom seeking reunification, connect with others by joining one of our online state communities. Anyone who wants to learn more or partner with our work can find us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter).

The work is largely funded by individual donors (54%), corporate donors (23%), and foundations (20%). A growing amount of funds is from earned income, as our training is sought after by foster parents and child advocates. We have also developed resources to enhance their experiences with the foster care system. Our donors become a partner in our mission to restore hope for children and youth in foster care.