Foster America Fiscal Leadership Circle 2024

FOSTER AMERICA FISCAL LEADERSHIP CIRCLE 2024

OVERVIEW

Foster America connects and activates changemakers to challenge injustice in the child welfare system and champion opportunities so every child, family and community thrives.

We do this by… 

• Talent: Seeking out and supporting talent — both in and beyond the field — with the determination and imagination to drive transformational change
• Knowledge: Actively listening to and learning with as well as across communities, to build and share knowledge
• Innovation: Imagining and advancing innovative ideas and equitable solutions

Together, we’re expanding resources and bolstering the relationships necessary to achieve systemic change for the well-being of all children and families.

In April 2024, Foster America will launch a new national initiative to bring leaders together in a fiscal focused learning community.  We are seeking 12-15 community leaders and changemakers who are serving children, youth and families to join us for a 12-month fiscal leadership fellowship.  

WHY FISCAL INNOVATION

We believe that funding structures significantly impact the focus of work within Child Welfare agencies. Agencies with limited funding options are forced to be more selective in the range of community and prevention focused services offered and additional funding allows for the provision of a wider range of services. Opportunities to expand and maximize available funding aimed at increasing child and family wellness while moving away from out-of-home placement are available. Intentional focus across a community of practice will both benefit the work within local jurisdictions while also informing national best practice in this area. 

It is our intention not to add more of a load to the fellows within this Leadership Circle, but instead to create more expansiveness by pulling resources, insights, and emergent strategies together for the advancement of the critical work already being done by these practitioners.

WHO SHOULD JOIN

We are seeking leaders:

• Currently or entering work leading fiscal work within or adjacent to Child Welfare agencies;  
• Financial Officers from Public Child Welfare Agencies,
• Financial Officers from Community Based Organizations
• Fiscal Policy Makers, and 
• State Budget Office
• Focused on expanding the number of funding sources or maximizing the utilization of funding sources aimed at safely decreasing the use of out-of-home placements; 
• With a shared commitment to innovation in service of imagining a different future for children and families;  
• Hold a deep commitment to their own learning and growth and would value connection with a network of other changemakers within the fiscal space. 
• Have a current or emerging project or initiative to advance over the length of the fellowship that drives towards increasing funding streams aimed at decreasing the use of out-of-home placement. Projects can include but are not limited to:
• Expanding the use of prevention funding streams (Family First, TANF, Medicaid, Social Service Block Grant…) 
• Identifying opportunities for intergovernmental funding such as municipal bonds or trusts,
• Measuring return on investment aimed at increasing prevention funding allocations, 
• Blending/braiding available prevention funding streams, and 
• Development of performance based contracting models for prevention services.

FISCAL LEADERSHIP CIRCLE EXPERIENCE

We aim to create a cohort experience where changemakers are empowered to create and implement  new solutions, connect to their community, and promote healing and belonging for those affected by injustice in the child welfare system.

Over the 12-month experience, participants will join virtual programming 3 hours per month and travel for three in person convenings.  All travel expenses will be covered by Foster America. 

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in becoming a Fiscal Leadership Circle fellow, please apply here.

Be sure to include in your cover letter a description of the project you are working to advance this year as well as any leadership growth goals you may have.  

• Resume and cover letter is due by February 14, 2024
• A phone screening and Zoom interview will occur by March 8, 2024.
• Reference checks and selection by March 22, 2024.
• First session is scheduled for April 19, 2024.