First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday announced a sweeping new Executive Order on “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families,” marking one of the most ambitious federal efforts in years to expand education, employment, and financial support for youth transitioning out of foster care.
The First Lady joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House for the signing ceremony, calling the initiative a “profound and lasting nationwide movement” aimed at helping young Americans gain independence through education, career pathways, and public-private partnerships.
A National Strategy to Support Foster Youth
The Executive Order—developed under Mrs. Trump’s direction—unites federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and private-sector partners in a coordinated effort to improve outcomes for young people leaving the foster care system.
Key provisions include:
• Fostering the Future Pledge
A national commitment gathering federal, corporate, nonprofit, and academic partners to create new pathways to education, employment, and mentorship for former foster youth.
• Online Resource & Planning Hub
A forthcoming digital platform will help current and former foster youth build customized plans for higher education, workforce readiness, and independent living.
• Expanded Access to Federal Support
The order increases availability of Education and Training Vouchers and federal grants for credentialing programs, financial literacy initiatives, and workforce advancement.
• New Scholarship Opportunities
States will be encouraged to use tax-credited donations for scholarship programs specifically dedicated to children in foster care.
Federal Agencies Announce New Commitments
Several federal departments unveiled aligned initiatives as part of the new order:
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS and the Administration for Children and Families will launch programs to prevent unnecessary entries into foster care, increase the number of foster homes, and provide decommissioned federal laptops to young people exiting the system to help close the digital divide.
Treasury & Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
The two agencies will host nationwide roundtables with transitioning youth to better understand obstacles to financial literacy and design policies to support long-term financial stability. Their initial findings will be released in Spring 2026.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
OPM announced a federal hiring pathway for former foster youth through the Pathways Programs, offering internships, early-career roles, and professional development opportunities in government service. A dedicated applicant portal and speaker series will be launched.
Partnerships With Universities and the Private Sector
Mrs. Trump urged U.S. businesses, universities, and nonprofits to join the initiative by signing the Fostering the Future Pledge on the official White House website.
Since 2021, the First Lady’s Be Best initiative—also called Fostering the Future—has provided technology-focused university scholarships to young people from the foster care community. Participating institutions include Vanderbilt University, University of Miami, Villanova University, Florida University, and Oral Roberts University.
Mrs. Trump emphasized that scholarship recipients are gaining essential knowledge needed to secure entry-level positions and build financially independent lives.
First Lady’s Message: “Tomorrow’s Builders Will Foster America’s Legacy”
In her prepared remarks, Mrs. Trump highlighted the urgent need to support the roughly 20,000 young people who age out of the foster care system each year—many of whom face homelessness, unemployment, or lack of access to basic technology and education.
“It was 2021 when I developed the idea to establish an impactful platform… to provide individuals from the foster care community the ability to secure an entry-level job position, and in turn, financial independence,” she said.
She praised the universities and organizations already participating, predicting that scholarship graduates will become “leading executives” contributing to job creation, healthcare access, food security, and community development across the country.
Calling the order both “empathetic and strategic,” the First Lady urged leaders from all sectors to join the effort:
“Rise above the ease of inaction… Together, we will illuminate the pathway for today’s foster children to become tomorrow’s builders.”
How to Join the Initiative
Private-sector organizations interested in participating can sign the Fostering the Future Pledge at:
WhiteHouse.Gov/FosteringTheFuture
